Apparatus and method for energy management based on estimated resource utilization

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for controlling consumption of an energy resource by a facility is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices, a network operations center (NOC), and a plurality of control nodes. The plurality of devices is disposed within the facility, each consuming a portion of the energy resource when turned on, and the each capable of performing a corresponding function to maintain a desired level of performance by cycling on and off. The NOC is disposed external to the facility, and is configured to generate a plurality of run time schedules, where the plurality of run time schedules coordinates run times for the each of the plurality of devices to control the consumption of the energy resource while maintaining corresponding local environments and the desired level of performance, and is configured to adjust the plurality of run time schedules based upon resource utilization components and resource utilization levels generated by the NOC, where the resource utilization components and the resource utilization levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption of the energy resource and outside temperature. The plurality of control nodes is disposed within the facility, each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupled together via an energy management network that is operatively coupled to the NOC, and where the plurality of control nodes transmits sensor data and device status to the NOC via the energy management network for generation of the plurality of run time schedules, and where the plurality of control nodes executes selected ones of the run time schedules to cycle the plurality of devices on and off.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following co-pending U.S. patentapplications, each of which has a common assignee and common inventors.

SERIAL FILING NUMBER DATE TITLE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OCCUPANCY(ENER.0136)      DETERMINATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OCCUPANCY(ENER.0137)      BASED ENERGY CONSUMPTION MANAGEMENT APPARATUS ANDMETHOD FOR AUTOMATED (ENER.0138)      BUILDING SECURITY BASED ONESTIMATED OCCUPANCY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRAFFIC (ENER.0140)     CONTROL BASED ON ESTIMATED BUILDING OCCUPANCY APPARATUS AND METHOD FORTARGETED (ENER.0141)      MARKETING BASED ON ESTIMATED BUILDINGOCCUPANCY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENERGY (ENER.0142)      MANAGEMENT OFMULTIPLE FACILITIES AS A FUNCTION OF ESTIMATED OCCUPANCY APPARATUS ANDMETHOD FOR OCCUPANCY (ENER.0143)      BASED DEMAND RESPONSE DISPATCHPRIORITIZATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FOCUSED (ENER.0144)     MARKETING MESSAGING BASED ON ESTIMATED BUILDING OCCUPANCY APPARATUS ANDMETHOD FOR FORECASTING (ENER.0145)      OCCUPANCY BASED ON ENERGYCONSUMPTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates in general to the field energy consumption, andmore particularly to an apparatus and method for occupancy determinationand applications thereof.

Description of the Related Art

One problem with resources such as electricity, water, fossil fuels, andtheir derivatives (e.g., natural gas) is related to supply and demand.That is, production of a resource often is not in synchronization withdemand for the resource. In addition, the delivery and transportinfrastructure for these resources is limited in that it cannotinstantaneously match production levels to provide for constantlyfluctuating consumption levels. As anyone who has participated in arolling blackout will concur, the times are more and more frequent whenresource consumers are forced to face the realities of limited resourceproduction.

Another problem with resources such as water and fossil fuels (which areubiquitously employed to produce electricity) is their limited supplyalong with the detrimental impacts (e.g., carbon emissions) of theiruse. Public and political pressure for conservation of resources isprevalent, and the effects of this pressure is experienced across thespectrum of resource providers, resource producers and managers, andresource consumers.

It is no surprise, then, that the electrical power generation anddistribution community has been taking proactive measures to protectlimited instantaneous supplies of electrical power by 1) imposing demandcharges on consumers in addition to their monthly usage charge and 2)providing incentives for conservation in the form of rebates and reducedcharges. In prior years, consumers merely paid for the total amount ofpower that they consumed over a billing period. Today, most energysuppliers are not only charging customers for the total amount ofelectricity they have consumed over the billing period, but they areadditionally imposing time of use charges and charging for peak demand.Peak demand is the greatest amount of energy that a customer uses duringa measured period of time, typically on the order of minutes. Time ofuse charges fluctuate throughout the day to dissuade customers fromusing energy during peak consumption hours. Moreover, energy suppliersare providing rebate and incentive programs that reward consumers for socalled energy efficiency upgrades (e.g., lighting and surroundingenvironment intelligently controlled, efficient cooling andrefrigeration, etc.) in their facilities that result in reductions ofboth peak consumption, time of use consumption shifting, and overallenergy consumption. Similar programs are prevalent in the waterproduction and consumption community as well. It is anticipated thatsuch programs will extend to other limited supply energy sources, suchas, but not limited to, natural gas.

Demand reduction and energy efficiency programs may be implemented andadministered directly by energy providers (i.e., the utilitiesthemselves) or they may be contracted out to third parties, so calledenergy services companies (ESCOs). ESCOs directly contract with energyconsumers and also contract with the energy providers to, say, reducethe demand of a certain resource in a certain area by a specifiedpercentage, where the reduction may be constrained to a certain periodof time (i.e., via a demand response program). Or, the reduction effortmay be ongoing (i.e., via an energy efficiency program).

The above scenarios are merely examples of the types of programs thatare employed in the art to reduce consumption and foster conservation oflimited resources. Regardless of the vehicle that is employed, what isimportant to both producers and consumers is that they be able tounderstand and appreciate the effects of demand reduction and efficiencyimprovements that are performed, say, on individual buildings, groups ofdissimilar buildings, or buildings of a similar type. How can a buildingmanager know that the capital outlay made to replace 400 windows willresult in savings that allow for return of capital within three years?How does an ESCO validate for a contracting regional transmissionoperator (e.g., Tennessee Valley Authority) that energy efficiencyprograms implemented on 1,000 consumers will result in a 15 percentreduction in baseline power consumption?

The answers to the above questions are not straightforward, primarilybecause, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, several factors bothdrive and often tend to obscure energy consumption. Weather conditionsdrive consumption, and their effects are significant. For instance, howcan a building's energy consumption in January of one year be comparedto its consumption in January of another year when average temperaturesin the two month's being compared differ by 25 degrees? Is thedifference between the two month's power consumption due to weather, orimplementation of an energy efficiency program, or a combination ofboth?

Fortunately, those in the art have developed complex, but widelyaccepted, normalization techniques that provide for weathernormalization of energy use data so that consumption by a building intwo different months can be compared without the confusion associatedwith how outside temperature affects energy use. These modelingtechniques provide for normalization of energy use data for buildingsand groups of buildings, and they are accurate for the above purposeswhen employed for energy use periods typically ranging from years downto days. That is, given sufficient historical energy use (“training”)data, models are developed using these normalization techniques, whichare acceptable for estimation of a building's energy consumption as afunction of outside temperature. These estimates are then employed bythe models to remove weather effects from an energy use profile—be it inthe past, present or future—and also to predict energy use as a functionof temperature.

The present inventors have observed, however, that another significantfactor drives energy consumption, and also substantially complicatesenergy efficiency evaluations. This factor is sometimes referred to as“occupancy,” because in an office or similar facility (e.g., hospital,school, concert hall, airport, poultry shed, etc.) providing for comfortof human or animal life, the amount of energy consumed on an hourlybasis (or a time increment less than one hour) is as much a function ofthe number of living beings that are present in a facility as it is afunction of outside temperature. In facilities where energy use forpurposes of production dominates (e.g., aggregate plants, steel mills,data processing facilities, server farms), this factor may be referredto as “resource utilization.”

Often, occupancy and resource utilization are cyclical patterns withexceptions on a daily basis. For example, one skilled in the art willappreciate that schools, as well as most office buildings, are generallyoccupied on weekdays and are unoccupied on weekends, except forholidays. Schools, in addition, are partially occupied during the summermonths. Likewise, hospitals are occupied year round, are partiallyoccupied on weekends (as a function of weekend staff reductions), andare over-occupied during flu season. Shopping malls tend to be occupiedwhen school is not in session and are over occupied around and duringholidays. Regarding facilities where resource utilization dominates, oneskilled in the art will appreciate that server farms utilize more energyaround and during holidays because of increased e-commerce, andproduction facilities utilize energy as a function of economicconditions.

Consider a school which has undergone substantial energy efficiencyimprovements, but which has also increased in attendance by, say, 20percent over the previous year. To judge the efficacy of theimprovements, an ESCO or other third party may desire to compare theschool's energy consumption in, say, September of the new year with thatof September of the previous year, where the previous year's energyconsumption data has been employed as training data for energy usemodeling purposes. As noted above, acceptable techniques provide fornormalizing both sets of energy consumption data to remove the effectsof weather. But, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, the effectsof occupancy changes in the new year will significantly obscure theresulting comparison because more energy per student is consumed in thenew year due to the increase in attendance. To remove the effect thatoccupancy has on this comparison, present day techniques resort towoefully deficient methods such as scaling, “eyeballing,” and other suchmeans that require analyst intervention and subjective judgment. Thatis, an analyst may judge that a facility is partially occupied becauseits energy consumption lies at approximately halfway between its minimumand maximum energy consumption values in the training data set. Thepresent inventors have observed that these techniques aredisadvantageous and limiting in situations where occupancy need bedetermined in near real time on a daily basis, or where occupancy (orresource utilization) is to be estimated for a collocated number offacilities or a group of similar facilities. That fact is that occupancyat an aggregated level is incredibly difficult to determine and predict,not only for comparative purposes, but also for purposes of real timecontrol.

Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus and method for automaticallydetermining occupancy of one or more facilities based solely on outsidetemperature and energy consumption.

What is also needed is a technique for managing the energy consumptionof one or more facilities using determined occupancy, where theoccupancy is determined as a function of outside temperature and energyuse during previous hours.

What is further needed is a technique for controlling security devicesand processes in one or more buildings using determined occupancy, wherethe occupancy is determined as a function of outside temperature andenergy use during previous hours.

What is also needed is a technique for managing the energy consumptionof one or more facilities using determined resource utilization, wherethe resource utilization is determined as a function of outsidetemperature and energy use during previous hours.

What is additionally needed is an occupancy based market control system,where market control devices and processes utilize determined occupancyof corresponding facilities that is determined as a function of outsidetemperature and energy use during more recent hours.

What is yet also needed is an occupancy based targeted marketing system,where advertising control devices, displays, messaging, and associatedprocesses utilize determined occupancy of corresponding facilities thatis determined as a function of outside temperature and energy use duringmore recent hours.

What is moreover needed is a technique for managing the energyconsumption of one or more substantially similar facilities usingdetermined occupancy, where the occupancy is determined as a function ofoutside temperature and energy use during previous hours.

What is further needed is a mechanism for prioritizing demand responseprogram events, where the events are prioritized according to determinedoccupancy or resource utilization, and where such determinations aremade on the basis of outside temperature and energy use.

What is additionally needed is an apparatus and method for focusedmarketing messaging based on estimated building occupancy.

What is yet further needed is a technique for forecasting occupancy ofbuildings based on their energy consumption patterns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, among other applications, is directed to solvingthe above-noted problems and addresses other problems, disadvantages,and limitations of the prior art. The present invention provides asuperior technique for determining building occupancy levels as afunction of energy consumption. In one embodiment, an apparatus forcontrolling consumption of an energy resource by a facility is provided.The apparatus includes a plurality of devices, a network operationscenter (NOC), and a plurality of control nodes. The plurality of devicesis disposed within the facility, each consuming a portion of the energyresource when turned on, and the each capable of performing acorresponding function to maintain a desired level of performance bycycling on and off. The NOC is disposed external to the facility, and isconfigured to generate a plurality of run time schedules, where theplurality of run time schedules coordinates run times for the each ofthe plurality of devices to control the consumption of the energyresource while maintaining corresponding local environments and thedesired level of performance, and is configured to adjust the pluralityof run time schedules based upon resource utilization components andresource utilization levels generated by the NOC, where the resourceutilization components and the resource utilization levels areexclusively generated based on the consumption of the energy resourceand outside temperature. The plurality of control nodes is disposedwithin the facility, each coupled to a corresponding one of theplurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupledtogether via an energy management network that is operatively coupled tothe NOC, and where the plurality of control nodes transmits sensor dataand device status to the NOC via the energy management network forgeneration of the plurality of run time schedules, and where theplurality of control nodes executes selected ones of the run timeschedules to cycle the plurality of devices on and off.

One aspect of the present invention contemplates an apparatus forcontrolling consumption of an energy resource by a facility. Theapparatus has a plurality of devices, a network operations center (NOC),a plurality of control nodes, and one or more sensor nodes. Theplurality of devices is disposed within the facility, each consuming aportion of the energy resource when turned on, and the each capable ofperforming a corresponding function to maintain a desired level ofperformance by cycling on and off. The NOC is disposed external to thefacility, and is configured to generate a plurality of run timeschedules, where the plurality of run time schedules coordinates runtimes for the each of the plurality of devices to control theconsumption of the energy resource while maintaining corresponding localenvironments and the desired level of performance, and is configured toadjust the plurality of run time schedules based upon resourceutilization components and resource utilization levels generated by theNOC, where the resource utilization components and the resourceutilization levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption ofthe energy resource and outside temperature. The plurality of controlnodes is disposed within the facility, each coupled to a correspondingone of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes iscoupled together via an energy management network that is operativelycoupled to the NOC, and where the plurality of control nodes transmitssensor data and device status to the NOC via the energy managementnetwork for generation of the plurality of run time schedules, and wherethe plurality of control nodes executes selected ones of the run timeschedules to cycle the plurality of devices on and off. The one or moresensor nodes are coupled to the energy management network, and areconfigured to provide one or more global sensor data sets to the NOC,where the NOC employs the one or more global sensor data sets indetermining the run times.

Another aspect of the present invention comprehends a method forcontrolling consumption of an energy resource by a facility. The methodincludes: via a network operations center (NOC) external to thefacility, generating a plurality of run time schedules, where theplurality of run time schedules coordinates run times for each of aplurality of devices to control the consumption of the energy resourcewhile maintaining corresponding local environments and a desired levelof performance, and adjusting the plurality of run time schedules basedupon resource utilization components and resource utilization levelsgenerated by the NOC, where the resource utilization components and theresource utilization levels are exclusively generated based on theconsumption of the energy resource and outside temperature; controllingthe each of the plurality of devices via corresponding control nodes,where the each of the plurality of devices consumes a portion of theenergy resource when turned on, and where the each of the plurality ofdevices is capable of performing a corresponding function to maintainthe desired level of performance; and coupling the corresponding controlnodes together via an energy management network that is operativelycoupled to the NOC, and employing the energy management network totransmit sensor data and device status to the NOC for generation of theplurality of run time schedules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an occupancy determination systemaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary facility energyconsumption stream, such as may be employed by the occupancydetermination system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram featuring a number of 24-hour energyconsumption profiles for an exemplary facility that differ according tooccupancy level;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an occupancy based energy consumptionmanagement system according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control node according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram detailing an occupancy based building securitymechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an energy management systemaccording to the present invention that employs estimated resourceutilization;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting an occupancy based traffic controlsystem according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram featuring an occupancy based targetedmarketing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a system according to the presentinvention for occupancy based energy management of multiple facilities;and

FIG. 11 is a block diagram detailing a mechanism according to thepresent invention for prioritizing demand response program events.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary and illustrative embodiments of the invention are describedbelow. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actualimplementation are described in this specification, for those skilled inthe art will appreciate that in the development of any such actualembodiment, numerous implementation specific decisions are made toachieve specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness related constraints, which vary from one implementation toanother. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of this disclosure. Various modifications to the preferredembodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generalprinciples defined herein may be applied to other embodiments.Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments shown and described herein, but is to be accordedthe widest scope consistent with the principles and novel featuresherein disclosed.

The present invention will now be described with reference to theattached figures. Various structures, systems, and devices areschematically depicted in the drawings for purposes of explanation onlyand so as to not obscure the present invention with details that arewell-known to those skilled in the art. Nevertheless, the attacheddrawings are included to describe and explain illustrative examples ofthe present invention. The words and phrases used herein should beunderstood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with theunderstanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in therelevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase (i.e., adefinition that is different from the ordinary and customary meaning asunderstood by those skilled in the art) is intended to be implied byconsistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a termor phrase is intended to have a special meaning (i.e., a meaning otherthan that understood by skilled artisans) such a special definition willbe expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional mannerthat directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for theterm or phrase.

In view of the above background discussion on energy consumptionmanagement and associated present day techniques for determiningoccupancy of a building and for determining utilization of one or moreresources, a discussion of the present invention will now be presentedwith reference to FIGS. 1-11.

Turning to FIG. 1, a block diagram is presented illustrating anoccupancy determination system 100 according to the present invention.The system 100 includes a facility model processor 110. The facilitymodel processor 110 may include an occupancy element 111 that is coupledto an occupancy normalizer 112 via a determined occupancy parameter busDOCC. The occupancy element 111 is coupled to training data stores 101via a training data bus TDATA. The occupancy element 111 and theoccupancy normalizer 112 are coupled to occupancy data stores 103 viabus DOCC, and to consumption/temperature data stores 102 via aconsumption data bus CTDATA. The occupancy normalizer 112 is coupled toa global model module 120 via an occupancy normalized baseline data busONBDATA and an occupancy normalized consumption data bus ONCDATA.

In one embodiment, the facility model processor 110 may be disposed in anetwork operations center (NOC) associated with a utility provider orESCO. In another embodiment, the facility model processor 110 may bedisposed in a corresponding facility. The facility model processor 110may comprise hardware, or a combination of hardware and software,configured to perform the functions described hereinbelow. In oneembodiment, the facility model processor 110 may comprise amicroprocessor or other suitable central processing unit (CPU) (notshown) coupled to a transitory random access memory (not shown) and/or anon-transitory read-only memory (not shown) within which applicationprograms (i.e., software) are disposed that, when executed by themicroprocessor/CPU, perform the functions described hereinbelow. Thedata stores 101-103 may be disposed as conventional transitory ornon-transitory data storage mechanisms and the buses TDATA, DOCC,CTDATA, ONBDATA, ONCDATA may comprise conventional wired or wirelesstechnology buses for transmission and reception of data including, butnot limited to, direct wired (e.g., SATA), cellular, BLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi,Ethernet, and the internet.

The global model module 120 may be configured as an energy managementcontrol device, described in further detail below, or as an energyprofile evaluation device. As an energy profile evaluation device, theglobal model module 120 may include a display such as, but not limitedto, a wall-mounted display, a desktop display, a laptop display, atablet display, or a mobile phone display.

In operation, the occupancy determination system 100 according to thepresent invention may be employed for purposes of generating an accuratedaily occupancy model for a given facility or building having timeincrements of two hours or less (i.e., 1-hour increments, 30-minuteincrements, 15-minute increments, etc.), and for purposes of employingthe daily occupancy model to compare occupancy normalized consumptiondata derived from the energy consumption data provided over CTDATA fromthe consumption/temperature data stores 102 with occupancy normalizedbaseline data derived from training data provided over TDATA from thetraining data stores 101, and further to forecast occupancy andresulting energy consumption for future dates. The daily occupancymodel, as will be described in more detail below, may comprise a lowerbound component of building energy consumption as a function of outsidetemperature, a normalized occupancy profile component as a function oftime increment employed, a marginal energy component as a function ofoutside temperature, and a daily occupancy level component. Theaforementioned components are generated by the occupancy element 111based upon the values of training data provided from the training datastores 101 over TDATA. In one embodiment, the aforementioned componentsmay be generated based upon the values of the training data andprogressively revised (i.e., iterated) based upon the values of energyconsumption data provided from the consumption/temperature data stores102. In one embodiment, the consumption/temperature data stores 102 maycomprise a transmitted data stream from one or more sources over wiredor wireless technology communication links.

Upon generation (and revision, if applicable), the aforementionedcomponents are transferred over bus DOCC to the occupancy data stores103, and the occupancy normalizer 112 may access the occupancy datastores 103 to retrieve the aforementioned components for purposes ofoccupancy normalizing (i.e., removing effects of occupancy on energyconsumption) the training data and/or the energy consumption data forthe given building. The occupancy normalized baseline data may betransferred to the global model module 120 over bus ONBDATA and theoccupancy normalized consumption data may be transferred to the globalmodel module 120 over bus ONCDATA. In another embodiment, the occupancynormalizer 112 may transfer the occupancy normalized baseline along witha forecasted occupancy normalized energy consumption to the global modelmodule 120, where the forecasted occupancy normalized energy consumptionis generated for a future time period and is based on outsidetemperature forecasts retrieved from the consumption/temperature datastores 102 and the aforementioned components. In a further embodiment,the occupancy normalizer 112 may employ the occupancy normalizedbaseline in conjunction with the aforementioned components to generate aforecasted energy consumption to the global model module 120, where theforecasted energy consumption is generated for a future time period andis based on outside temperature forecasts retrieved from theconsumption/temperature data stores 102, and which employs theaforementioned components to develop the forecasted energy consumptionto include the effects of forecasted occupancy.

Thereafter, the global model module 120 may generate and displaycomparisons of the occupancy normalized energy consumption with theoccupancy normalized baseline data for purposes of enabling a buildingmanager to evaluate the efficacy of energy efficiency improvementsperformed on the facility subsequent to generation of the training dataand prior to generation of the energy consumption data. In anotherembodiment, the global model module 120 may generate comparisons of theoccupancy normalized energy consumption with the occupancy normalizedbaseline data for purposes of enabling a building manager toretroactively visualize the efficacy of energy efficiency improvementsperformed on the facility prior to generation of the training data andsubsequent to generation of the energy consumption data. In anadditional embodiment, the global model module 120 may generatecomparisons of the occupancy normalized energy consumption with theoccupancy normalized baseline data for purposes of enabling a buildingmanager to detect abnormal daily energy usage for the facility bycomparing the occupancy normalized consumption data with the occupancynormalized baseline data. In such a comparison, the global model module120 may visually display an approximate expected range of occupancynormalized energy consumption values for a given time period as afunction of the occupancy normalized baseline data. In yet anotherembodiment, the global model module 120 may display the forecastedenergy consumption for purposes of enabling a building manager to planfuture energy acquisitions.

Numerous other embodiments may be configured for the global model module120 as need arises for comparison of occupancy normalized consumptiondata with occupancy normalized baseline data on a daily, weekly,monthly, yearly, etc. level, where the building manager may be presentedwith an expected occupancy normalized energy consumption profile (basedon the occupancy normalized baseline data and the aforementionedcomponents) along with what the given building actually consumed (basedon the occupancy normalized consumption data) in the past, the near-realtime present, or projected for the future. In other embodiments, theoccupancy determination system 100 may be employed to perform the abovenoted functions for a plurality of buildings.

The above generated comparisons may be employed by the global modelmodule 120 when configured as an energy management control device toprovide for scheduling of building controls (not shown) in order tooptimize energy consumption by the building. In such a configuration,the global model module 120 may optimize the energy consumption of thebuilding for comfort purposes prior to or during demand response programevents (e.g., load shedding), to preclude time of use charges, or toachieve energy reduction incentives. Accordingly, the global modelmodule 120 may utilize the aforementioned components in conjunction withnear real-time energy consumption data, provided via bus CTDATA, todetermine a daily occupancy level for the building, and may performcomfort control functions, security control functions, resource controlfunctions, market control functions, advertising functions, and othercontrol functions based upon the determined daily occupancy level, wherethe daily occupancy level is determined exclusively from the energyconsumption data, outside temperature data, and the aforementioned modelcomponents. Details of how the aforementioned model components aregenerated will now be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 2-3.

Turning to FIG. 2, a block diagram is provided depicting an exemplaryfacility energy consumption stream 200, such as may be employed by theoccupancy determination system 100 of FIG. 1. The exemplary energyconsumption stream 200 is representative of both the training datastored in the training data stores 101 and the energy consumption datastored in or retrieved from the energy consumption/temperature datastores 102. The exemplary energy consumption stream 200 includes aplurality of fields 211-213 provided for each time increment in a day,where the number of days I ranges from 1 to N, and where the number oftime increments in each of a plurality of days ranges from 1 to 24, thusindicating a time increment of 1 hour. The present inventors note,however, that although 1-hour increments are depicted in the exemplaryenergy consumption stream 200, such is provided for clarity purposes,and increments greater or lesser than 1 hour may be employed accordingto application.

Each incremental triplet of values includes a time increment valueH1-H24 provided in field 211, an outside temperature value T1-T24provided in field 212, and an energy consumption value E1-E24 providedin field 213. For instance, a year's worth energy consumption data for agiven building having 1-hour increments will comprise 8,760 incrementaltriplets, each having a corresponding time increment value, outsidetemperature value, and energy consumption value.

Operationally, the energy consumption stream 200 may be provided orobtained in manners such as, but not limited to, from a utilityprovider, from a building owner, or from the building itself by meteringequipment disposed therein. The energy consumption stream 200 may beutilized as training data in order to determine the lower boundcomponent on building energy consumption as a function of outsidetemperature, the normalized occupancy profile component as a function oftime increment employed, the marginal energy component as a function oftemperature, and the daily occupancy level component as a function of aspecific day value I. The energy consumption stream 200 may also beutilized as energy consumption data such as may be provided by theenergy consumption/temperature data stores 102. When utilized astraining data, the occupancy element 111 may generate the lower boundcomponent on baseline building energy consumption as a function ofoutside temperature, the normalized occupancy profile component as afunction of time increment employed, the marginal energy component as afunction of outside temperature, and the daily occupancy level componentas a function of a specific day value I, and provide these modelcomponents to the occupancy normalizer 112 for normalization andcomparison with a different energy consumption data stream (not shown).When utilized as energy consumption data, the occupancy normalizer 112may utilize model components provided over bus DOCC (from the occupancyelement 111 or the occupancy data stores 103) to normalize the energyconsumption data stream 200 for provision to the global model module120.

Now referring to FIG. 3, a timing diagram 300 is presented featuring anumber of 24-hour energy consumption profiles 301-305 for an exemplaryfacility that differ only according to occupancy level. Each of theprofiles 301-305 may be configured by extracting applicable values fromfields 211-213 within the energy consumption data stream 200corresponding to desired time increment value. The diagram shows a24-hour consumption profile 301 for days that the exemplary facility isat a 20 percent occupancy level. The diagram also shows a 24-hourconsumption profile 302 for days that the exemplary facility is at a 30percent occupancy level. The diagram additionally shows a 24-hourconsumption profile 303 for days that the exemplary facility is at a 65percent occupancy level. The diagram further shows a 24-hour consumptionprofile 3041 for days that the exemplary facility is at an 85 percentoccupancy level. The diagram finally shows a 24-hour consumption profile305 for days that the exemplary facility is at a 90 percent occupancylevel.

What the present inventors have observed is that, regardless of changesin the magnitude of the daily occupancy level, the shape of the energyconsumption profiles 301-305 is substantially the same, leading to theconclusion that the shape of a daily occupancy profile (i.e., how thenumber of living beings inside changes over the course of a day) for anyfacility, although definitely a function of the type of facility (e.g.,office building, school, indoor feedlot, etc.), is substantiallydominated by time of day, and the magnitude of the daily occupancyprofile changes as a function occupancy level for the day. Stateddifferently, the amount of energy the exemplary facility consumes is afunction of the number of living beings disposed therein at a given timeincrement, which led the present inventors to envision a model foroccupancy based energy consumption having a lower energy consumptionbound (i.e., when the exemplary facility is unoccupied), a normalizedoccupancy profile component representing occupancy level of theexemplary facility as a function of time increment during the day, amarginal energy component representing the amount of energy consumed ata particular temperature over, and a daily occupancy level componentrepresenting a scaling value for the normalized occupancy profilecomponent.

More specifically, the occupancy element 111 operates on the trainingdata to generate the above noted components according to the followingenergy consumption equation:

E _(i)(h,T)=ζ(T)+γ_(i)ƒ(h)D(T)+e _(i)(h,T), where

-   -   h≡time increment index (for 1-hour increment, h goes from 1 to        24);    -   T ≡temperature at time h;    -   i ≡day number index;    -   E_(i)(h, T) ≡energy consumption of building at time h and        temperature T;    -   ζ(T) ≡lower bound of building energy consumption at temperature        T;    -   γ_(i)≡daily occupancy level component;    -   ƒ(h) ≡normalized occupancy profile component as a function of h;    -   D (T) ≡marginal energy component as a function of T; and    -   e_(i)(h, T) ≡model energy consumption error at time h and        temperature T.

For purposes of the present application, though the lower bound ofbuilding energy consumption is recognized to be both a function of timeof day and temperature, the present inventors have noted that it isprimarily driven by temperature, and thus the time increment effects onthe lower bound are neglected in the model to allow for performanceimprovements in real-time and near real-time application scenarios.Accordingly, in one embodiment, all of the energy consumption values inthe training data for each represented temperature are aggregated intocorresponding temperature sets. In one embodiment, energy consumptionvalues in insignificant (with respect to energy consumption) temperatureranges (e.g., 48-52 degrees) are binned together into a singletemperature set (e.g., 50-degree set). Next, values within each of thetemperature sets (i.e., values in, say, a 20-degree set, a 30-degreeset, etc.) are ranked in increasing order of value, and the lowest1-percentile value within each of the temperature sets is selected asthe lower bound (or, “floor”) value for that temperature set. In oneembodiment, the 1-percentile value is selected in order to removeoutliers which may affect the accuracy of the model. In anotherembodiment, 5-percentile values are employed as the lower bound.

Thus, ζ(T) represents the minimum energy consumption of a given facilityand it the energy consumed for a daily occupancy component, γ_(i)=0.That is, when the daily occupancy component is equal to 0, suchrepresents the energy consumption of the building when at minimumoccupancy. For most buildings, the minimum occupancy reflects zeroliving beings present. For buildings with continuous market flow (e.g.,airport, military facility), the minimum occupancy reflects a minimumnumber of living beings present.

Initially, the occupancy element 111 scans the training data anddetermines the values of ζ(T) for each of the temperature sets.Following determination of ζ(T), the occupancy element 111 operates oneach energy consumption value E_(i)(h, T) to generate a difference valuefrom the lower energy consumption bound as follows:

Δ_(i)(h,T)=E _(i)(h,T)−ζ(T).

Next, the occupancy element 111 averages each of the Δ_(i)(h, T) valuesfor each hour and temperature pair to generate an average daily energyconsumption Δ(h, T) for each of the hour and temperature pairs. Theoccupancy element then assigns the average daily consumption Δ(h, T) ascorresponding to a daily occupancy component value equal to 1, γ_(i)=1.That is, when the daily occupancy component is equal to 1, suchrepresents the energy consumption of the building when at averageoccupancy for each time and temperature pair. Thus, according to theabove energy consumption equation,

e _(i)(h,T)=Δ(h,T)−ƒ(h)D(T).

The occupancy element 111 then employs a conventional non-linear solveralgorithm, as known to those skilled in the art, to solve for ƒ(h) andD(T) while minimizing e_(i)(h, T). In another embodiment, the occupancyelement 111 may employ a Monte Carlo solver algorithm to solve for ƒ(h)and D(T) while minimizing e_(i)(h, T).

Once series for ƒ(h) and D(T) are determined, the occupancy element 111employs ƒ(h) and D(T) to determine values of the daily occupancy levelγ_(i) for each day according to the following equation:

$\gamma_{i} = {\frac{\sum\limits_{h}^{\;}{\Delta_{i}\left( {h,T} \right)}}{\sum\limits_{h}^{\;}{{f(h)}{D(T)}}}.}$

Accordingly, the occupancy element 111 according to the presentinvention operates on the training data provided via bus TDATA todetermine, for a given facility (or a plurality of facilities inaggregate), the lower energy consumption bound ζ(T), the normalizedoccupancy profile component ƒ(h), the marginal energy consumptioncomponent D(T), and a daily occupancy level component γ_(i) for eachtraining data day.

The present inventors not that the derived components noted above aredetermined to yield an accurate total energy consumption for each day,but may vary slightly for estimates of hourly energy consumption, as oneskilled in the art will appreciate, because facilities do not strictlyfollow their respective normalized occupancy profile component ƒ(h),though for purposes of the present invention, such hourly energyconsumption estimates are sufficient.

The steps above employed by the occupancy element 111 to derive theabove noted components may be iteratively employed using energyconsumption/temperature data provide via bus CTDATA to improve theaccuracy of the components. The above noted components ζ(T), ƒ(h), D(T),γ_(i) are transferred over bus DOCC to the occupancy data stores 103,from which they may be obtained for use by the occupancy normalizer 112which, as described above, employs these components to occupancynormalize (i.e., remove the effects of building occupancy) the trainingdata (resulting in occupancy normalized baseline data) and the energyconsumption/temperature data (resulting in occupancy normalized energyconsumption data). The occupancy normalizer 112 may then transfer theoccupancy normalized baseline data over bus ONBDATA and the occupancynormalized energy consumption data over bus ONCDATA to the global modelmodule 120, which may perform the functions noted above to enable abuilding manager to determine the efficacy of energy efficiencyimprovements to the building (or plurality of buildings), to performcontrol functions, or both.

The present invention may also employ calendar data, obtainedconventionally, to allow for embodiments of the present invention todetermine occupancy of one or more facilities on a given day, past,present, or future, based upon the components ζ(T), ƒ(h), D(T), γ_(i)derived from the training data. The calendar data may be employed todetermine weekdays versus weekends, holidays, major event start and stopdates, and the like, so that values of γ_(i) are utilized appropriatelypredicting occupancy of the one or more facilities.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a block diagram is presented showing an occupancybased energy consumption management system 400 according to the presentinvention. The occupancy based energy consumption management system 400may include a plurality of system devices 401, each of which is managedand controlled within the system 400 for purposes of energy consumptioncontrol in order to manage peak resource demand, time of day use, orenergy reduction targets. In one embodiment, the system devices 401 mayinclude air-conditioning units that are disposed within a building orother facility, and the resource that is managed may comprise electricalpower. In another embodiment, the system devices 401 may compriseheating units that are disposed within a building or other facility, andthe resource that is managed may comprise natural gas. The presentinventors specifically note that the system 400 contemplated herein isintended to be preferably employed to control any type of resourceconsuming device 401 such as the units noted above, and also including,but not limited to, water pumps, heat exchangers, motors, generators,light fixtures, electrical outlets, sump pumps, furnaces, or any otherdevice that is capable of being duty-cycle actuated in order to controluse of a corresponding resource, but which is also capable, in oneembodiment, of maintaining a desired level of performance (“comfortlevel”) by advancing or deferring actuation times and increasing ordecreasing duty cycles in coordination with other associated devices401. For purposes of the present application, the term “comfort level”may also connote an acceptable level of performance for a device 401 ormachine that satisfies overall constraints of an associated system 400.The present inventors also note that the present invention comprehendsany form of consumable resource including, but not limited to,electrical power, natural gas, fossil fuels, water, and nuclear power.As noted above, present day mechanisms are in place by energy suppliersto levy peak demand charges for the consumption of electrical power by aconsumer and, going forward, examples will be discussed in termsrelative to the supply, consumption, and demand coordination ofelectrical power for purposes only of teaching the present invention inwell-known subject contexts. However, it is noted that any of theexamples discussed herein may be also embodied to employ alternativedevices 401 and resources as noted above for the coordination of peakdemand of those resources within a system 400. It is further noted thatthe term “facility” is not to be restricted to construe a brick andmortar structure, but may also comprehend any form of interrelatedsystem 400 of devices 401 whose performance can be modeled and whoseactuations can be scheduled and controlled in order to control andmanage the demand of a particular resource.

Having noted the above, each of the devices 401 includes a devicecontrol 402 that operates to turn the device 401 on, thus consuming aresource, and off, thus not consuming the resource. When the device 401is off, a significant amount of the resource is consumed, and thus adevice that is off does not substantially contribute to overallcumulative use of the resource. Although implied by block diagram, thepresent inventors note that the device control 402 also may not bedisposed within the device 401, and the device control 402 may not becollocated with the device 401 as, for example, in the case of a remotecontrol as is employed by a building automation system.

A control node 403 according to the present invention is coupled to eachof the device controls 402 via a device sense bus DSB 411 that isemployed by the control node 403 to turn the device 401 on and off, tosense when the device 401 is turned on and off, and to furthertransparently enable the device 401 to operate independent of the energyconsumption management system 400 in a fail-safe mode while at the sametime sensing when the device 401 is turned on and turned off in thefail-safe mode. Each of the control nodes 403 maintains control of theirrespective device 401 and in addition maintains a replicated copy of aglobal model of a system environment along with a global schedule foractuation of all of the devices 401 in the system 400. Updates to theglobal model and schedule, along with various sensor, monitor, gateway,configuration, and status messages are broadcast over an energymanagement network (EMN) 410, which interconnects all of the controlnodes 403, and couples these control nodes to optional global sensornodes 406, optional monitor nodes 409, and an optional gateway node 420.In one embodiment, the EMN 410 may comprise an IEEE 802.15.4 packetizedwireless data network as is well understood by those skilled in the art.Alternatively, the EMN 410 may be embodied as an IEEE 802.11 packetizedwireless or wired network. In another embodiment, the EMN 410 maycomprise a power line modulated network comporting with HOMEPLUG®protocol standards. Other packetized network configurations areadditionally contemplated, such as, but not limited to, a BLUETOOTH® lowpower wireless network. The present inventors note, however, that thepresent invention is distinguished from conventional “state machine”techniques for resource demand management and control in that only modelupdates and schedule updates are broadcast over the EMN 410, thusproviding a strong advantage according to the present invention in lightof network disruption. For the 802.15.4 embodiment, replicated model andschedule copies on each control node 403 along with model and scheduleupdate broadcasts according to the present invention are veryadvantageous in the presence of noise and multipath scenarios commonlyexperienced by wireless packetized networks. That is, a duplicate modelupdate message that may be received by one or more nodes 403 does notserve to perturb or otherwise alter effective operation of the system400.

Zero or more local sensors 404 are coupled to each of the control nodes403 via a local sensor bus 412, and configuration of each of the localsensors 404 may be different for each one of the devices 401. Examplesof local sensors 404 include temperature sensors, flow sensors, lightsensors, and other sensor types that may be employed by the control node403 to determine and model an environment that is local to a particularsystem device 401. For instance, a temperature sensor 404 may beemployed by a control node 403 to sense the temperature local to aparticular device 401 disposed as an air-conditioning unit. Another unitmay employ local sensors 404 comprising both a temperature and humiditysensor local to a device 401 disposed as an air-conditioning unit. Otherexamples abound. Other embodiments contemplate collocation of localsensors 404 and device control 402 for a device 401, such as thewell-known thermostat.

The system 400 also optionally includes one or more global sensors 405,each of which is coupled to one or more sensor nodes 406 according tothe present invention. The global sensors 405 may comprise, but are notlimited to, movement sensors, solar radiation sensors, wind sensors,precipitation sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, powermeters, and the like. The sensors 405 are configured such that theirdata is employed to globally affect all modeled environments andschedules. For example, the amount of solar radiation on a facility mayimpact to each local environment associated with each of the systemdevices 401, and therefore must be considered when developing a globalmodel of the system environment. In one embodiment, the global model ofthe system environment is an aggregate of all local models associatedwith each of the devices, where each of the local models are adjustedbased upon the data provided by the global sensors 405.

Each of the global sensors 405 is coupled to a respective sensor node406 according to the present invention via a global sensor bus (GSB)413, and each of the sensor nodes 406 are coupled to the EMN 410.Operationally, the sensor nodes 406 are configured to sample theirrespective global sensor 405 and broadcast changes to the sensor dataover the EMN 410 to the control nodes 403 and optionally to the gatewaynode 420.

The system 400 also optionally includes one or more non-system devices407, each having associated device control 408 that is coupled to arespective monitor node 409 via a non-system bus (NSB) 414. Each of themonitor nodes 409 is coupled to the EMN 410. Operationally, each monitornode 409 monitors the state of its respective non-system device 407 viaits device control 408 to determine whether the non-system device 409 isconsuming the managed resource (i.e., turned on) or not (i.e., turnedoff). Changes to the status of each non-system device 407 are broadcastby its respective monitor node 409 over the EMN 410 to the control nodes403 and optionally to the gateway node 420. The non-system devices 407may comprise any type of device that consumes the resource beingmanaged, but which is not controlled by the system 400. One example ofsuch a non-system device 407 is an elevator in a building. The elevatorconsumes electrical power, but may not be controlled by the system 400in order to manage energy use. Thus, in one embodiment, consumption ofthe resource by these non-system devices 407 is employed as a factorduring scheduling of the system devices 401 in order to manage andcontrol peak demand of the resource.

Optionally, the gateway node 420 is coupled by any known means to anetwork operations center (NOC) 421. The NOC 421 many include anoccupancy determination system 422, substantially the same as theoccupancy determination system 100 described above with reference toFIGS. 1-3. The NOC 421 may also be optionally coupled to a streamingsource 440 for purposes of obtaining real time or near real time energyconsumption data, outside temperature data, and optional calendar datafor the building at a useful time increment. In one embodiment, the timeincrement is one hour. In another embodiment, the time increment is 15minutes. In a further embodiment, the time increment is 5 minutes. Theenergy consumption data may also be provided over the EMN 410 to thegateway node 420 by coupling a facility power meter 430 to one of theglobal sensors 405. Outside temperature data may also be provided overthe EMN 410 in like manner.

In operation, configuration data for the system 400 may be provided bythe NOC 421 and communicated to the gateway node 420. Alternatively,configuration data may be provided via the gateway node 420 itself.Typically, the gateway node 420 is collocated with the system 400whereas the NOC 421 is not collocated and the NOC 421 may be employed toprovide configuration data to a plurality of gateway nodes 420corresponding to a plurality of systems 400. The configuration data maycomprise, but is not limited to, device control data such as number ofsimultaneous devices in operation, device operational priority relativeto other devices, percentage of peak load to employ, peak demandprofiles related to time of day, and the like.

Thus, as will be described in more detail below, each of the controlnodes 403 develops a local environment model that is determined fromcorresponding local sensors 404. Each local environment model, aschanges to the local environment model occur, is broadcast over the EMN410 to all other control nodes 403. Each of the control nodes 403 thusmaintains a global environmental model of the system 400 which, in oneembodiment, comprises an aggregation of all of the local environmentalmodels. Each of the global models is modified to incorporate the effectof data provided by the global sensors 105 and by daily occupancy leveldata determined by the occupancy determination system 422 within the NOC421. Thus, each identical global model comprises a plurality of localenvironmental models, each of which has been modified due to the effectof data provided by the global sensors 105 and the daily occupancy leveldata. It is important to note that the term “environmental” is intendedto connote a modeling environment which includes, but is not limited to,the physical environment and occupancy of the facility as a function oftime. In one embodiment, the lower energy consumption bound ζ(T), thenormalized occupancy profile component ƒ(h), the marginal energyconsumption component D(T), and the daily occupancy level componentγ_(i) for the facility are determined by the occupancy determinationsystem 422 and are maintained within the NOC 421. Occupancy update datais periodically transmitted to the EMN 410 for incorporation into theglobal model.

Each control node 403, as will be described below, additionallycomprises a global schedule which, like the global model, is anaggregate of a plurality of local run time schedules, each associatedwith a corresponding device 401. The global schedule utilizes the globalmodel data in conjunction with configuration data and data provided bythe monitor nodes 409, to develop the plurality of local run timeschedules, where relative start times, duration times, and duty cycletimes are established such that comfort margins associated with each ofthe local environments are maintained, in one embodiment, viamaintaining, advancing (i.e., running early), or deferring (i.e.,delaying) their respective start times and durations, and viamaintaining, advancing, or deferring their respective duty cycles.

It is noted that the above embodiments according to the presentinvention determine occupancy of the facility based solely upon energyconsumption by the facility and outside temperature. In one embodimentwhere sufficient training data has been processed by the occupancydetermination system 422, occupancy of the facility may be determinedexclusively from energy usage data; outside temperature is not required.

The occupancy determination system 422 may selectively determine anoccupancy level component γ_(i) for the facility based solely on thecalendar data. For example, buildings with known cyclical occupancylevel patterns (e.g., office buildings, schools, etc.) only requireknowledge of type of day (e.g., Monday, Friday, holiday, weekend, etc.).And since normalized occupancy profile ƒ(h) for the facility has beenpreviously derived from the training data, what is required to updatethe global model is the predetermined normalized occupancy profile ƒ(h),the occupancy level for the day γ_(i), and the marginal energy componentD(T).

Alternatively, for facilities having irregular occupancy level patterns,the occupancy determination system 422 may process real time or nearreal time energy consumption data to determine an occupancy levelcomponent for the day γ_(i) based upon the normalized occupancy profileƒ(h), the occupancy level for the day γ_(i), and the marginal energycomponent D(T). For example, the occupancy determination system 422 mayprocess energy consumption data for the first 12 hours of the day,determine an occupancy level component for the day γ_(i), and provideγ_(i) over the EMN 410 to update the global model for control of theenergy management system 400 for the remainder of the day.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram is presented illustrating acontrol node 500 according to the present invention, such as may beemployed within the occupancy based energy management system 400 of FIG.4. The control node 500 includes a node processor 501 that is coupled toone or more local sensors (not shown) via a local sensor bus (LSB) 502,a device control (not shown) via a device sense bus (DSB) 503, and to anenergy management network (EMN) 504 as has been described above withreference to FIG. 4.

The control node 500 also includes a local model module 505 that iscoupled to the node processor 501 via a synchronization bus (SYNC) 509,a sensor data bus (SENSEDATA) 515, and a device data bus (DEVDATA) 516.The control node 500 also has a global model module 506 that is coupledto the node processor 501 via SYNC 509 and via an inter-node messagingbus (INM) 511. The global model module 506 is coupled to the local modelmodule 505 via a local model environment bus (LME) 512. The control node500 further includes a global schedule module 507 that is coupled to thenode processor 501 via SYNC 509 and INM 511, and that is coupled to theglobal model module 506 via a global relative run environment bus (GRRE)513. The control node 500 finally includes a local schedule module 508that is coupled to the node processor 501 via SYNC 509 and a run controlbus (RUN CTRL) 510. The local schedule module 508 is also coupled to theglobal schedule module 507 via a local relative run environment bus(LRRE) 514. LRRE 514 is also coupled to the global model module 506. Inaddition, a run time feedback bus (RTFB) 517 couples the local schedulemodule 508 to the local model module 505.

The node processor 501, local model module 505, global model module 506,global schedule model 507, and local schedule model 508=according to thepresent invention are configured to perform the operations and functionsas will be described in further detail below. The node processor 501local model module 505, global model module 506, global schedule model507, and local schedule model 508 each comprises logic, circuits,devices, or microcode (i.e., micro instructions or native instructions),or a combination of logic, circuits, devices, or microcode, orequivalent elements that are employed to perform the operations andfunctions described below. The elements employed to perform theseoperations and functions may be shared with other circuits, microcode,etc., that are employed to perform other functions within the controlnode 500. According to the scope of the present application, microcodeis a term employed to refer to one or more micro instructions.

In operation, synchronization information is received by the nodeprocessor 501. In one embodiment, the synchronization information istime of day data that is broadcast over the EMN 504. In an alternativeembodiment, a synchronization data receiver (not shown) is disposedwithin the node processor 501 itself and the synchronization dataincludes, but is not limited to, atomic clock broadcasts, a receivableperiodic synchronization pulse such as an amplitude modulatedelectromagnetic pulse, and the like. The node processor 501 is furtherconfigured to determine and track relative time for purposes of taggingevents and the like based upon reception of the synchronization data.Preferably, time of day is employed, but such is not necessary foroperation of the system.

The node processor 501 provides periodic synchronization data via SYNC509 to each of the modules 505-508 to enable the modules 505-508 tocoordinate operation and to mark input and output data accordingly. Thenode processor 501 also periodically monitors data provided by the localsensors via LSB 502 and provides this data to the local model module 505via SENSEDATA 515. The node processor 501 also monitors the DSB 503 todetermine when an associated device (not shown) is turned on or turnedoff. Device status is provided to the local model module 505 via DEVDATA516. The node processor 501 also controls the associated device via theDSB 503 as is directed via commands over bus RUN CTRL 510. The nodeprocessor 501 further transmits and receives network messages over theEMN 504. Received message data is provided to the global model module506 or the global schedule model 507 as appropriate over bus INM 511.Likewise, both the global model module 506 and the global schedule model507 may initiate EMN messages via commands over bus INM 511. These EMNmessages primarily include, but are not limited to, broadcasts of globalmodel updates and global schedule updates. System configuration messagedata as described above is distributed via INM 511 to the globalschedule module 507.

Periodically, in coordination with data provided via SYNC 509, the localmodel module employs sensor data provided via SENSEDATA 515 inconjunction with device actuation data provided via DEVDATA 516 todevelop, refine, and update a local environmental model which comprises,in one embodiment, a set of descriptors that describe a relative timedependent flow of the local environment as a function of when theassociated device is on or off. For example, if the device is an airconditioning unit and the local sensors comprise a temperature sensor,then the local model module 505 develops, refines, and updates a set ofdescriptors that describe a local temperature environment as a relativetime function of the data provided via SYNC 509, and furthermore as afunction of when the device is scheduled to run and the parametersassociated with the scheduled run, which are received from the localschedule module 508 via RTFB 517. This set of descriptors is provided tothe global model module 506 via LME 512. However, it is noted that thesedescriptors are updated and provided to LME 512 only when one or more ofthe descriptors change to the extent that an error term within the localmodel module 505 is exceeded. In addition to the descriptors, dataprovided on LME 512 by the local model module includes an indication ofwhether the descriptors accurately reflect the actual local environment,that is, whether the modeled local environment is within an acceptableerror margin when compared to the actual local environment. When themodeled local environment exceeds the acceptable error margin whencompared to the actual local environment, then the local model module505 indicates that its local environment model is inaccurate over LME512, and the energy management system may determine to allow theassociated device to run under its own control in a fail-safe mode. Forinstance, if occupancy of a given local area remains consistent, then avery accurate model of the local environment will be developed over aperiod of time, and updates of the descriptors 512 will decrease infrequency, thus providing advantages when EMN 504 is disrupted. It isnoted that the error term will decrease substantially in this case.However, consider a stable local environment model that is continuallyperturbed by events that cannot be accounted for in the model, such asimpromptu gatherings of many people. In such a case the error term willbe exceeded, thus causing the local model module 505 to indicate overLME 512 that its local environment model is inaccurate. In the case of asystem comprising air conditioning units, it may be determined to allowthe associated unit to run in fail-safe mode, that is, under control ofits local thermostat. Yet, advantageously, because all devices continueto use their replicated copies of global models and global schedules,the devices continue to operate satisfactorily in the presences ofdisruption and network failure for an extended period of time.Additionally, if model error over time is known, then all devices in thenetwork can utilize pre-configured coordination schedules, effectivelycontinuing coordination over an extended period of time, in excess ofthe models ability to stay within a known margin of error. Furthermore,it can be envisioned that devices without a EMN 504, utilizing someexternally sensible synchronization event, and with known modelenvironments, could perform coordination sans the EMN 504.

The local model module 505, in addition to determining the above noteddescriptors, also maintains values reflecting accuracy of the localsensors, such as hysteresis of a local thermostat, and accounts for suchin determining the descriptors. Furthermore, the local model module 505maintains and communicates via LME 512 acceptable operation margin datato allow for advancement or deferral of start times and durations, andincrease or decrease of duty cycles. In an air conditioning or heatingenvironment, the acceptable operation margin data may comprise an upperand lower temperature limit that is outside of the hysteresis (setpoints) of the local temperature sensor, but that is still acceptablefrom a human factors perspective in that it is not noticeable to atypical person, thus not adversely impacting that person's productivity.In addition, the local model module 505 may maintain values representinga synthesized estimate of a variable (for example, temperature). Inanother embodiment, the local model module 505 may maintain synthesizedvariables representing, say, comfort, which are a function of acombination of other synthesized variables including, but not limitedto, temperature, humidity, amount of light, light color, and time ofday.

In one embodiment, the descriptors comprise one or more coefficients andan offset associated with a linear device on-state equation and one ormore coefficients and intercept associated with a linear deviceoff-state equation. Other equation types are contemplated as well toinclude second order equations, complex coefficients, or lookup tablesin the absence of equation-based models. What is significant is that thelocal model module generates and maintains an acceptable description ofits local environment that is relative to a synchronization event suchthat the global model module 506 can predict the local environment asseen by the local model module.

The global model module 506 receives the local descriptors via LME 512and stores this data, along with all other environments that arebroadcast over the EMN 504 and received via the INM 511. In addition,the global model module 506 adjusts its corresponding local environmententry to take into account sensor data from global sensors (e.g., motionsensors, solar radiation sensors) and occupancy components determined bythe occupancy determination system which are received over the EMN 504and provided via the INM 511. An updated local entry in the global modelmodule 506 is thus broadcast over the EMN 504 to all other control nodes500 in the system and is additionally fed back to the local model module505 to enable the local model module 505 to adjust its local model toaccount for the presence of global sensor and occupancy component data.

The global model module 506 provides all global model entries to theglobal schedule module 507 via GRRE 513. The global schedule module 507employs these entries to determine when and how long to actuate each ofthe devices in the system. In developing a global device schedule, theglobal schedule module utilizes the data provided via GRRE 513, that is,aggregated adjusted local models for the system, along with systemconfiguration data as described above which is resident at installationor which is provided via a broadcast over the EMN 504 (i.e., aNOC-initiated message over the gateway node). The global deviceactuation schedule refers to a schedule of operation relative to thesynchronization event and is broadcast over the DCN 504 to all othercontrol nodes 500. In addition, the device actuation schedule associatedwith the specific control node 500 is provided over LRRE 514 to both thelocal schedule module 508 and the local model module 505, for this datadirects if and when the device associated with the specific control node500 will run. It is noted that the global schedule module 507 operatessubstantially to optimize energy usage of the system by advancing ordeferring device start times and increasing or decreasing device dutycycles in accordance with device priorities. The value by which a timeis advanced or deferred and the amount of increase or decrease to a dutycycle is determined by the global schedule module 507 such that higherpriority devices are not allowed to operate outside of their configuredoperational margin. In addition, priorities, in one embodiment, aredynamically assigned by the global schedule module 507 based upon theeffect of the device's timing when turned on. Other mechanisms arecontemplated as well for dynamically assigning device priority withinthe system.

The local schedule module 508 directs the associated device to turn onand turn off at the appropriate time via commands over RUN CTRL 510,which are processed by the node processor 501 and provided to the devicecontrol via DSB 503.

Referring to FIG. 6, a block diagram is presented detailing an occupancybased building security system 600 according to the present invention.The occupancy based building security system 600 may include a pluralityof system devices 601, each of which is managed and controlled withinthe system 600 for purposes of active security control of a facility. Inone embodiment, the system devices 601 may include, but are not limitedto, lighting controls, alarms, door locks, window locks, controllableaccess devices (e.g., gates, doors, etc.), cameras, signage, andcommunication links. The present inventors specifically note that thesystem 600 contemplated herein is intended to be preferably employed tocontrol any type of resource consuming device 601 such as the unitsnoted above, and also any other device 601 that is capable of beingactuated in order to actively manage the devices 601 within or aroundthe facility in order to achieve a desired level of security. It is alsonoted that, in one embodiment, the devices 601 are powered byelectricity via A/C mains, battery power, or both sources. It is furthernoted that the term “facility” is not to be restricted to construe abrick and mortar structure, but may also comprehend any form ofinterrelated system 600 of devices 601 whose performance can be modeledand whose actuations can be scheduled and controlled in order to manageaccess, control physical market, protect valuable assets, and detect anddeter intruders.

Having noted the above, each of the devices 601 includes a devicecontrol 602 that operates to actuate the device 601 according to itsintended function (e.g., open/close doors and windows, lock/unlock, turnlighting on and off, display security markings on signage, etc.).Although implied by block diagram, the present inventors note that thedevice control 602 also may not be disposed within the device 601, andthe device control 602 may not be collocated with the device 601 as, forexample, in the case of a remote control as is employed by an automatedbuilding monitor controller 650.

A control node 603 according to the present invention is coupled to eachof the device controls 602 via a device sense bus DSB 611 that isemployed by the control node 603 to actuate the device 601, to sensewhen the device 601 is actuated or not, and to further transparentlyenable the device 601 to operate independent of the building securitysystem 600 in a fail-safe mode while at the same time sensing when thedevice 601 is actuated in the fail-safe mode. Each of the control nodes603 maintains control of their respective device 601 and in additionmaintains a replicated copy of a global model of a system securityenvironment along with a global schedule for actuation of all of thedevices 601 in the system 600. Updates to the global model and schedule,along with various sensor, monitor, gateway, configuration, and statusmessages are broadcast over a building security network (BSN) 610, whichinterconnects all of the control nodes 603, and couples these controlnodes to optional global sensor nodes 606, optional monitor nodes 609,and an optional gateway node 620. In one embodiment, the BSN 610 maycomprise an IEEE 802.15.4 packetized wireless data network as is wellunderstood by those skilled in the art. Alternatively, the BSN 610 maybe embodied as an IEEE 802.11 packetized wireless or wired network. Inanother embodiment, the BSN 610 may comprise a power line modulatednetwork comporting with HOMEPLUG® protocol standards. Other packetizednetwork configurations are additionally contemplated, such as, but notlimited to, a BLUETOOTH® low power wireless network. The presentinventors note, however, that the present invention is distinguishedfrom conventional “state machine” techniques for building securitymanagement and control in that only model updates and schedule updatesare broadcast over the BSN 610, thus providing a strong advantageaccording to the present invention in light of network disruption. Forthe 802.15.4 embodiment, replicated model and schedule copies on eachcontrol node 603 along with model and schedule update broadcastsaccording to the present invention are very advantageous in the presenceof noise and multipath scenarios commonly experienced by wirelesspacketized networks. That is, a duplicate model update message that maybe received by one or more nodes 603 does not serve to perturb orotherwise alter effective operation of the system 600.

Zero or more local sensors 604 are coupled to each of the control nodes603 via a local sensor bus 612, and configuration of each of the localsensors 604 may be different for each one of the devices 601. Examplesof local sensors 604 include motion sensors, infrared sensors, glassbreak sensors, video sensors, and other sensor types that may beemployed by the control node 603 to determine and model an environmentthat is local to a particular system device 601. For instance, a motionsensor 604 may be employed by a control node 603 to sense motion localto a particular device 601 disposed as a warning sign. Other embodimentscontemplate collocation of local sensors 604 and device control 602 fora device 601.

The system 600 also optionally includes one or more global sensors 605,each of which is coupled to one or more sensor nodes 606 according tothe present invention. The global sensors 605 may comprise, but are notlimited to, movement sensors, card readers, biometric sensors, humiditysensors, temperature sensors, flood sensors, power meters 630, and thelike. The sensors 605 are configured such that their data is employed toglobally affect all modeled environments and schedules. In oneembodiment, the global model of the system environment is an aggregateof all local models associated with each of the devices, where each ofthe local models are adjusted based upon the data provided by the globalsensors 605.

Each of the global sensors 605 is coupled to a respective sensor node606 according to the present invention via a global sensor bus (GSB)613, and each of the sensor nodes 606 are coupled to the BSN 610.Operationally, the sensor nodes 606 are configured to sample theirrespective global sensor 605 and broadcast changes to the sensor dataover the BSN 610 to the control nodes 603 and optionally to the gatewaynode 620.

Optionally, the gateway node 620 is coupled by any known means to anetwork operations center (NOC) 621. The NOC 621 many include anoccupancy determination system 622, substantially the same as theoccupancy determination system 100 described above with reference toFIGS. 1-4. The NOC 621 may also be optionally coupled to a streamingsource 640 for purposes of obtaining real time or near real time energyconsumption data, outside temperature data, and optional calendar datafor the building at a useful time increment. In one embodiment, the timeincrement is one hour. In another embodiment, the time increment is 15minutes. In a further embodiment, the time increment is 5 minutes. Theenergy consumption data may also be provided over the BSN 610 to thegateway node 620 by coupling the facility power meter 630 to one of theglobal sensors 605. Outside temperature data may also be provided overthe EMN 610 in like manner. The automated building security monitorcontroller 650 may be coupled to the gateway node 620, as shown in theblock diagram, or it may be directly coupled to the BSN 610.

In operation, configuration data for the system 600 may be provided bythe controller 650 or by the NOC 621 and communicated to the gatewaynode 620. Alternatively, configuration data may be provided via thegateway node 620 itself. Typically, the gateway node 620 is collocatedwith the system 600 whereas the NOC 621 is not collocated and the NOC621 may be employed to provide configuration data to a plurality ofgateway nodes 620 corresponding to a plurality of systems 600. Theconfiguration data may comprise, but is not limited to, device controldata, device operational priority relative to other devices 601, timesand schedules for access control, visitor lists, temporary accessrestrictions, and the like.

Thus, as will be described in more detail below, each of the controlnodes 603 develops a local security model that is determined fromcorresponding local sensors 604. Each local security model, as changesto the local security model occur, is broadcast over the BSN 610 to allother control nodes 603. Each of the control nodes 603 thus maintains aglobal security model of the system 600 which, in one embodiment,comprises an aggregation of all of the local security models. Each ofthe global models is modified to incorporate the effect of data providedby the global sensors 105 and by daily occupancy level data determinedby the occupancy determination system 622 within the NOC 621. Thus, eachidentical global model comprises a plurality of local security models,each of which has been modified due to the effect of data provided bythe global sensors 105 and the daily occupancy level data. It isimportant to note that the term “security” is intended to connote amodeling environment which includes, but is not limited to, the physicalenvironment and occupancy of the facility and surrounding areas as afunction of time. In one embodiment, the lower energy consumption boundζ(T), the normalized occupancy profile component ƒ(h), the marginalenergy consumption component D(T), and the daily occupancy levelcomponent γ_(i) for the facility are determined by the occupancydetermination system 622 and are maintained within the NOC 621.Occupancy update data is periodically transmitted to the EMN 610 forincorporation into the global model.

Each control node 603, as will be described below, additionallycomprises a global schedule which, like the global model, is anaggregate of a plurality of local run time schedules, each associatedwith a corresponding device 601. The global schedule utilizes the globalmodel data in conjunction with configuration data and data provided bythe monitor nodes 609, to develop the plurality of local run timeschedules, where relative device actuation times are established suchthat security provisions associated with each of the local securityenvironments are maintained, in one embodiment, via maintaining,advancing (i.e., running early), or deferring (i.e., delaying) theirrespective actuation times and durations, and via maintaining,advancing, or deferring their respective duty cycles.

It is noted that the above embodiments according to the presentinvention determine occupancy levels of the facility based solely uponenergy consumption by the facility and outside temperature. In oneembodiment where sufficient training data has been processed by theoccupancy determination system 622, occupancy of the facility may bedetermined exclusively from energy usage data; outside temperature isnot required.

The occupancy determination system 622 may selectively determine anoccupancy level component γ_(i) for the facility based solely on thecalendar data. For example, buildings with known cyclical occupancylevel patterns (e.g., office buildings, schools, etc.) only requireknowledge of type of day (e.g., Monday, Friday, holiday, weekend, etc.).And since normalized occupancy profile ƒ(h) for the facility has beenpreviously derived from the training data, what is required to updatethe global model is the predetermined normalized occupancy profile ƒ(h),the occupancy level for the day γ_(i), and the marginal energy componentD(T).

Alternatively, for facilities having irregular occupancy level patterns,the occupancy determination system 622 may process real time or nearreal time energy consumption data to determine an occupancy levelcomponent for the day γ_(i) based upon the normalized occupancy profileƒ(h), the occupancy level for the day γ_(i), and the marginal energycomponent D(T). For example, the occupancy determination system 622 mayprocess energy consumption data for the first 12 hours of the day,determine an occupancy level component for the day γ_(i), and provideγ_(i) over the EMN 610 to update the global model for control of thebuilding security system 600 for the remainder of the day.

Turning to FIG. 7, a block diagram is presented illustrating an energymanagement system 700 according to the present invention that employsestimated resource utilization. Such a system may be employed to manageand control consumption of a resource (e.g. electricity, gas, etc.) inan environment where consumption of the resource is primarily driven bythe utilization of energy consuming equipment, devices, and the like, asopposed to the number of living beings within a facility. Examples ofsuch environments, as noted above, include, but are not limited to,steel mills, refineries, aggregate plants, server farms, etc. The energymanagement system 700 may include a plurality of system devices 701,each of which is managed and controlled within the system 700 forpurposes of energy consumption control in order to manage peak resourcedemand, time of day use, or energy reduction targets. In one embodiment,the system devices 701 may include, but are not limited to, electricmotors, pumps, fans, smelting ovens, burners, refrigeration units, androck crushers that are disposed within a building or other facility, andthe resource that is managed may comprise electrical power. The presentinventors specifically note that the system 700 contemplated herein isintended to be preferably employed to control any type of resourceconsuming device 701 such as the units noted above, and also including,but not limited to, heat exchangers, motors, generators, power supplies,light fixtures, furnaces, or any other device that is capable of beingduty-cycle actuated in order to control use of a corresponding resource,but which is also capable, in one embodiment, of maintaining a desiredlevel of performance, typically a production level, by advancing ordeferring actuation times and increasing or decreasing duty cycles incoordination with other associated devices 701. For purposes of thepresent application, the term “production level” may also connote anacceptable level of performance for a device 701 or machine thatsatisfies overall constraints of an associated system 700. The presentinventors also note that the present invention comprehends any form ofconsumable resource including, but not limited to, electrical power,natural gas, fossil fuels, water, and nuclear power. As noted above,present day mechanisms are in place by energy suppliers to levy peakdemand and time of use charges for the consumption of electrical powerby an industrial consumer and, going forward, examples will be discussedin terms relative to the supply, consumption, and demand coordination ofelectrical power for purposes only of teaching the present invention inwell-known subject contexts. However, it is noted that any of theexamples discussed herein may be also embodied to employ alternativedevices 701 and resources as noted above for the coordination ofconsumption of those resources within a system 700. It is further notedthat the term “facility” is not to be restricted to construe a brick andmortar structure, but may also comprehend any form of interrelatedsystem 700 of devices 701 whose performance can be modeled and whoseactuations can be scheduled and controlled in order to control andmanage the demand of a particular resource.

Having noted the above, each of the devices 701 includes a devicecontrol 702 that operates to turn the device 701 on, thus consuming aresource, and off, thus not consuming the resource. When the device 701is off, a significant amount of the resource is consumed, and thus adevice that is off does not substantially contribute to overallcumulative use of the resource. Although implied by block diagram, thepresent inventors note that the device control 702 also may not bedisposed within the device 701, and the device control 702 may not becollocated with the device 701 as, for example, in the case of a remotecontrol.

A control node 703 according to the present invention is coupled to eachof the device controls 702 via a device sense bus DSB 711 that isemployed by the control node 703 to turn the device 701 on and off, tosense when the device 701 is turned on and off, and to furthertransparently enable the device 701 to operate independent of the energyconsumption management system 700 in a fail-safe mode while at the sametime sensing when the device 701 is turned on and turned off in thefail-safe mode. Each of the control nodes 703 maintains control of theirrespective device 701 and in addition maintains a replicated copy of aglobal model of a system environment along with a global schedule foractuation of all of the devices 701 in the system 700. Updates to theglobal model and schedule, along with various sensor, monitor, gateway,configuration, and status messages are broadcast over an energymanagement network (EMN) 710, which interconnects all of the controlnodes 703, and couples these control nodes to optional global sensornodes 706, optional monitor nodes 709, and an optional gateway node 720.In one embodiment, the EMN 710 may comprise an IEEE 802.15.4 packetizedwireless data network as is well understood by those skilled in the art.Alternatively, the EMN 710 may be embodied as an IEEE 802.11 packetizedwireless or wired network. In another embodiment, the EMN 710 maycomprise a power line modulated network comporting with HOMEPLUG®protocol standards. Other packetized network configurations areadditionally contemplated, such as, but not limited to, a BLUETOOTH® lowpower wireless network. The present inventors note, however, that thepresent invention is distinguished from conventional “state machine”techniques for resource demand management and control in that only modelupdates and schedule updates are broadcast over the EMN 710, thusproviding a strong advantage according to the present invention in lightof network disruption. For the 802.15.4 embodiment, replicated model andschedule copies on each control node 703 along with model and scheduleupdate broadcasts according to the present invention are veryadvantageous in the presence of noise and multipath scenarios commonlyexperienced by wireless packetized networks. That is, a duplicate modelupdate message that may be received by one or more nodes 703 does notserve to perturb or otherwise alter effective operation of the system700.

Zero or more local sensors 704 are coupled to each of the control nodes703 via a local sensor bus 712, and configuration of each of the localsensors 704 may be different for each one of the devices 701. Examplesof local sensors 704 include temperature sensors, flow sensors, lightsensors, and other sensor types that may be employed by the control node703 to determine and model an environment that is local to a particularsystem device 701. For instance, a temperature sensor 704 may beemployed by a control node 703 to sense the temperature local to aparticular device 701 disposed as a refrigeration unit. Another unit mayemploy local sensors 704 comprising both a temperature and humiditysensor local to a device 701 disposed as an oven. Other examples abound.Other embodiments contemplate collocation of local sensors 704 anddevice control 702 for a device 701.

The system 700 also optionally includes one or more global sensors 705,each of which is coupled to one or more sensor nodes 706 according tothe present invention. The global sensors 705 may comprise, but are notlimited to, movement sensors, wind sensors, dust sensors, precipitationsensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors, power meters 750, andthe like. The sensors 705 are configured such that their data isemployed to globally affect all modeled environments and schedules. Forexample, the amount of precipitation on a facility may impact each localenvironment associated with each of the system devices 701, andtherefore must be considered when developing a global model of thesystem environment. In one embodiment, the global model of the systemenvironment is an aggregate of all local models associated with each ofthe devices, where each of the local models are adjusted based upon thedata provided by the global sensors 705.

Each of the global sensors 705 is coupled to a respective sensor node706 according to the present invention via a global sensor bus (GSB)713, and each of the sensor nodes 706 are coupled to the EMN 710.Operationally, the sensor nodes 706 are configured to sample theirrespective global sensor 705 and broadcast changes to the sensor dataover the EMN 710 to the control nodes 703 and optionally to the gatewaynode 720.

The system 700 also optionally includes one or more non-system devices707, each having associated device control 708 that is coupled to arespective monitor node 709 via a non-system bus (NSB) 714. Each of themonitor nodes 709 is coupled to the EMN 710. Operationally, each monitornode 709 monitors the state of its respective non-system device 707 viaits device control 708 to determine whether the non-system device 709 isconsuming the managed resource (i.e., turned on) or not (i.e., turnedoff). Changes to the status of each non-system device 707 are broadcastby its respective monitor node 709 over the EMN 710 to the control nodes703 and optionally to the gateway node 720. The non-system devices 707may comprise any type of device that consumes the resource beingmanaged, but which is not controlled by the system 700. One example ofsuch a non-system device 707 is an elevator in a building. The elevatorconsumes electrical power, but may not be controlled by the system 700in order to manage energy use. Thus, in one embodiment, consumption ofthe resource by these non-system devices 707 is employed as a factorduring scheduling of the system devices 701 in order to manage andcontrol peak demand and time of use of the resource.

Optionally, the gateway node 720 is coupled by any known means to anetwork operations center (NOC) 721. The NOC 721 many include a demandmanagement dispatch element 723 and a utilization determination system722. The utilization determination system is substantially the same asthe occupancy determination system 100 described above with reference toFIGS. 1-3, but rather than determining occupancy (i.e., the level ofliving beings) of the facility based exclusively on energy consumptionand outside temperature, utilization of the devices 701, 707 within thefacility is determined. In terms of the embodiment of FIG. 7,“occupancy” of the facility may be construed as percent utilization ofthe devices 701, 707. The NOC 721 may also be optionally coupled to astreaming source 740 for purposes of obtaining real time or near realtime energy consumption data, outside temperature data, and optionalcalendar data for the building at a useful time increment. In oneembodiment, the time increment is one hour. In another embodiment, thetime increment is 15 minutes. In a further embodiment, the timeincrement is 5 minutes. The energy consumption data may also be providedover the EMN 710 to the gateway node 720 by coupling a facility powermeter 730 to one of the global sensors 705. Outside temperature data mayalso be provided over the EMN 710 in like manner.

In operation, configuration data for the system 700 may be provided byan automated production controller 750 or by the NOC 721 andcommunicated to the gateway node 720. Alternatively, configuration datamay be provided via the gateway node 720 itself. Typically, the gatewaynode 720 is collocated with the system 700 whereas the NOC 721 is notcollocated and the NOC 721 may be employed to provide configuration datato a plurality of gateway nodes 720 corresponding to a plurality ofsystems 700. The configuration data may comprise, but is not limited to,device control data such as number of simultaneous devices in operation,device operational priority relative to other devices, percentage ofpeak load to employ, peak demand profiles related to time of day,production quotas for each day, and the like.

Thus, as will be described in more detail below, each of the controlnodes 703 develops a local environment model that is determined fromcorresponding local sensors 704. Each local environment model, aschanges to the local environment model occur, is broadcast over the EMN710 to all other control nodes 703. Each of the control nodes 703 thusmaintains a global environmental model of the system 700 which, in oneembodiment, comprises an aggregation of all of the local environmentalmodels. Each of the global models is modified to incorporate the effectof data provided by the global sensors 105 and by daily resourceutilization level data determined by the utilization determinationsystem 722 within the NOC 721. Thus, each identical global modelcomprises a plurality of local environmental models, each of which hasbeen modified due to the effect of data provided by the global sensors105 and the daily utilization level data. It is important to note thatthe term “environmental” is intended to connote a modeling environmentwhich includes, but is not limited to, the physical environment andutilization of the resource by devices 701, 707 within the facility as afunction of time. In one embodiment, the lower energy consumption boundζ(T), the normalized occupancy profile component ƒ(h), the marginalenergy consumption component D(T), and the daily occupancy levelcomponent γ_(i) for the facility are determined by the utilizationdetermination system 722 and are maintained within the NOC 721, where“occupancy” in the context of this embodiment equates to utilization ofthe resource by the devices 701, 707. Utilization update data isperiodically transmitted to the EMN 710 for incorporation into theglobal model.

Each control node 703, as will be described below, additionallycomprises a global schedule which, like the global model, is anaggregate of a plurality of local run time schedules, each associatedwith a corresponding device 701. The global schedule utilizes the globalmodel data in conjunction with configuration data and data provided bythe monitor nodes 709, to develop the plurality of local run timeschedules, where relative start times, duration times, and duty cycletimes are established such that comfort margins associated with each ofthe local environments are maintained, in one embodiment, viamaintaining, advancing (i.e., running early), or deferring (i.e.,delaying) their respective start times and durations, and viamaintaining, advancing, or deferring their respective duty cycles.

It is noted that the above embodiments according to the presentinvention determine utilization of the resource by devices 701, 707within the facility based solely upon energy consumption by the facilityand outside temperature. In one embodiment where sufficient trainingdata has been processed by the utilization determination system 722,resource utilization by the facility may be determined exclusively fromenergy usage data; outside temperature is not required.

The demand management dispatch element 723 may be configured to providedemand response program or time of use dispatches to the EMN 710 whichare incorporated into the global model for purposes of schedulingequipment operation to, in one embodiment, achieve resource utilizationconstraints while maintaining desired production levels. In anotherembodiment, the dispatches are incorporated into the global model forpurposes of scheduling equipment operation to minimize resource cost ofconsumption while maintaining desired production levels.

The utilization determination system 722 may selectively determine autilization level component γ_(i) for the facility based solely on thecalendar data. Since a normalized utilization profile ƒ(h) for thefacility has been previously derived from the training data, what isrequired to update the global model is the predetermined normalizedutilization profile ƒ(h), the utilization level for the day γ_(i), andthe marginal energy component D(T).

Alternatively, for facilities having irregular occupancy level patterns,the utilization determination system 722 may process real time or nearreal time energy consumption data to determine a utilization levelcomponent for the day γ_(i) based upon the normalized utilizationprofile ƒ(h), the utilization level for the day γ_(i), and the marginalenergy component D(T). For example, the utilization determination system722 may process energy consumption data for the first 12 hours of theday, determine a utilization level component for the day γ_(i), andprovide γ_(i) over the EMN 710 to update the global model for control ofthe energy management system 700 for the remainder of the day.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a block diagram is presented depicting anoccupancy based traffic control system 800 according to the presentinvention. The traffic control system 800 may include one or moresubsector traffic control centers 810.1-810.N, coupled together via aconventional wired or wireless traffic control network MCN for purposesof communication of data and control of subsector traffic controldevices 820.1-820.N, which are also coupled to the MCN. A regionaltraffic control center 830 is also coupled to the MCN. Each of thesubsector traffic control centers 810.1-810.N are coupled to subsectoroccupancy stores 801.1-801-N, subsector consumption streaming sources802.1-802.N, and subsector weather streaming sources 803.1-803.N. Eachof the subsector traffic control centers 810.1-810.N may include asubsector occupancy aggregator 811 that is coupled to an other facilityoccupancy estimator 812 via one or more gamma buses G.1-G.M. Thesubsector occupancy aggregator 811 is coupled to a subsector trafficcontrol processor 813 by a first aggregate gamma bus GAGGR1, and theother facility occupancy estimator 812 is coupled to the subsectortraffic control processor 813 by a second aggregate gamma bus GAGGR2.Each of the traffic control processors 813 controls a correspondingsubsector traffic control device 820.1-820.N over the MCN. The regionaltraffic control center 830 may include a global control element 831.

The traffic control centers 810.1-810.N, 830 may comprise hardware, or acombination of hardware and software, configured to perform thefunctions described hereinbelow. In one embodiment, traffic controlcenters 810.1-810.N, 830 may each comprise a microprocessor or othersuitable central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) coupled to atransitory random access memory (not shown) and/or a non-transitoryread-only memory (not shown) within which application programs (i.e.,software) are disposed that, when executed by the microprocessor/CPU,perform the functions described hereinbelow. The occupancy stores801.1-801.N may be disposed as conventional transitory or non-transitorydata storage mechanisms and the buses G.1-G.M, GAGGR1, GAGGR2 maycomprise conventional wired or wireless technology buses fortransmission and reception of data including, but not limited to, directwired (e.g., SATA), cellular, BLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and theinternet. The streaming sources 802.1-802.N, 803.1-803.N may compriseconventional wired or wireless technology buses as noted above fortransmission and reception of data. The subsector traffic controldevices 820.1-820.N may comprise, but are not limited to, street lights,controllable signage, video cameras, market routing devices (e.g., highoccupancy vehicle lane gates, etc.), and controllable barriers.

The present inventors have noted that, in addition to the embodimentsdisclosed above, application of energy based occupancy determination isvery useful for augmenting conventional traffic control techniqueswithin metropolitan areas having a high density of office buildings,school, hospitals, and like facilities. Accordingly, in operation, theregional traffic control center 830 provides daily configuration data toeach of the subsector traffic control centers 810.1-810.N, where each ofthe subsector traffic control centers 810.1-810.N are configured tocontrol pedestrian and automotive traffic control devices 820.1-810.Nfor corresponding geographic subsectors within a region. Each of thecorresponding geographic subsectors may include a one or more buildingscorresponding to one or more building types (e.g., small officebuilding, medium office building, hospital, school, etc.). A portion ofthe one or more buildings corresponding to the one or more buildingtypes may be configured such that their energy consumption is availablevia a corresponding subsector streaming consumption source 802.1-802.Nin real time or near real time at intervals consistent with thosediscussed above for determining and employing, for each of the portionof the one or more buildings corresponding to the one or more buildingtypes, occupancy components that include an occupancy level componentfor the day γ_(i), a normalized occupancy profile ƒ(h), and a marginalenergy component D(T). The noted occupancy components may be determinedand optionally iterated by an occupancy determination element (notshown) disposed within a NOC, as is discussed above with reference toFIGS. 4 and 6, and the occupancy components provided to a correspondingsubsector occupancy stores 801.1-801.N for retrieval by a correspondingsubsector traffic control center 810.1-810.N. The NOC may be disposed ata separate location, within one of the subsector traffic control centers810.1-810.N or at the regional traffic control center 830.

Each of the subsector occupancy aggregators 811 may access acorresponding subsector occupancy stores 801.1-801.N to obtain occupancycomponents corresponding to the portion of the one or more buildingscorresponding to the one or more building types. In addition, each ofthe subsector occupancy aggregators 811 may access a correspondingsubsector streaming consumption source 802.1-802.N and a correspondingsubsector streaming weather source 803.1-803.N to obtain energyconsumption data and outside temperature data, respectively,corresponding to the portion of the one or more buildings correspondingto the one or more building types. Each of the subsector occupancyaggregators 811 may process the occupancy components, energy consumptiondata, outside temperature data, and optional calendar data (e.g., day ofthe week, holidays, etc.) to determine average occupancy componentscorresponding to each of the building types by averaging all of theoccupancy level components for the day γ_(i), normalized occupancyprofiles ƒ(h), and a marginal energy components D(T) for each of thebuildings of a specific building type, and will transmit the averageoccupancy components to the other facility occupancy estimator 812 overbuses G.1-G.N. Each of the subsector occupancy aggregators 811 mayfurthermore determine aggregated occupancy components for all of the oneor more buildings within the portion by weighted averaging according torelative occupancy of each of the building types, and the each of thesubsector occupancy aggregators 811 may provide their respective firstaggregated occupancy component to a corresponding subsector trafficcontrol processor 813 via bus GAGGR1.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, not all buildings within ageographic subsector provide for streaming energy consumption data, butthey are, however, subject to varying occupancy levels throughout theday. Accordingly, the other facility occupancy estimator 812 isconfigured to estimate the second aggregated occupancy component for theremaining buildings within the geographic subsector which are not partof the portion noted above. The other facility occupancy estimator 812determines the second aggregated occupancy component for the remainingbuildings within the geographic subsector by matching the averageoccupancy components provided over buses G.1-G.N to the remainingbuildings according to building type, and by performing weightedaveraging according to relative occupancy of each of the building typesas is discussed above. The other facility occupancy estimator 812 mayprovide a respective second aggregated occupancy component to acorresponding subsector traffic control processor 813 via bus GAGGR2.

Each of the corresponding subsector traffic control processors 813 mayemploy their respective first and second aggregated occupancy componentsto determine an estimate of occupancy within each of the buildings intheir respective geographic subsectors throughout the day, where theestimate of occupancy is determined exclusively by processing, asdisclosed above, energy consumption and outside temperature data, or inthe case where sufficient training data has been processed, exclusivelyby processing, as disclosed above, energy consumption data. Eachsubsector traffic control processor 813, in accordance withconfiguration data provided by the regional traffic control center 830,may modify default timing of traffic control devices to optimize theflow of pedestrian and automotive vehicles within its respectivegeographic subsector. Each subsector traffic control processor 813, inaccordance with configuration data provided by the regional trafficcontrol center 830, may modify default timing and states of signage tooptimize the flow of pedestrian and automotive vehicles within itsrespective geographic subsector. Each subsector traffic controlprocessor 813, in accordance with configuration data provided by theregional traffic control center 830, may optionally actuate trafficrouting devices and/or controllable barriers to optimize the flow ofpedestrian and automotive vehicles within its respective geographicsubsector.

The regional traffic control center 830 may include a global controller831 that provides configuration data to each of the subsector trafficcontrol centers 810.1-810.N and that furthermore may provide controlsignals to prioritize or override commands to the subsector trafficcontrol devices 820.1-820.N over the MCN.

Now turning to FIG. 9, a block diagram is presented featuring anoccupancy based targeted marketing system according to the presentinvention. The occupancy based market control system 900 according tothe present invention. The targeted marketing system 900 may include oneor more subsector market control centers 910.1-910.N, coupled togethervia a conventional wired or wireless market control network MCN forpurposes of communication of data and control of subsector marketcontrol devices 920.1-920.N, which are also coupled to the MCN. Aregional market control center 930 is also coupled to the MCN. Each ofthe subsector market control centers 910.1-910.N are coupled tosubsector occupancy stores 901.1-901-N, subsector consumption streamingsources 902.1-902.N, and subsector weather streaming sources903.1-903.N. Each of the subsector market control centers 910.1-910.Nmay include a subsector occupancy aggregator 911 that is coupled to another facility occupancy estimator 912 via one or more gamma busesG.1-G.M. The subsector occupancy aggregator 911 is coupled to asubsector market control processor 913 by a first aggregate gamma busGAGGR1, and the other facility occupancy estimator 912 is coupled to thesubsector market control processor 913 by a second aggregate gamma busGAGGR2. Each of the market control processors 913 controls acorresponding subsector market control device 920.1-920.N over the MCN.The regional market control center 930 may include a global controlelement 931.

The market control centers 910.1-910.N, 930 may comprise hardware, or acombination of hardware and software, configured to perform thefunctions described hereinbelow. In one embodiment, market controlcenters 910.1-910.N, 930 may each comprise a microprocessor or othersuitable central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) coupled to atransitory random access memory (not shown) and/or a non-transitoryread-only memory (not shown) within which application programs (i.e.,software) are disposed that, when executed by the microprocessor/CPU,perform the functions described hereinbelow. The occupancy stores901.1-901.N may be disposed as conventional transitory or non-transitorydata storage mechanisms and the buses G.1-G.M, GAGGR1, GAGGR2 maycomprise conventional wired or wireless technology buses fortransmission and reception of data including, but not limited to, directwired (e.g., SATA), cellular, BLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and theinternet. The streaming sources 902.1-902.N, 903.1-903.N may compriseconventional wired or wireless technology buses as noted above fortransmission and reception of data. The subsector market control devices920.1-920.N may comprise, but are not limited to, controllable signage,video display devices, electronic mail servers, and short messagingservice (SMS) servers.

The present inventors have noted that, in addition to the embodimentsdisclosed above, application of energy based occupancy determination isvery useful for augmenting conventional market control techniques withinareas that include office buildings, school, shopping malls, conventioncenters, airports, hospitals, and like facilities. Accordingly, inoperation, the regional market control center 930 provides dailyconfiguration data to each of the subsector market control centers910.1-910.N, where each of the subsector market control centers910.1-910.N are configured to control market control devices 920.1-910.Nfor corresponding geographic subsectors within a region. Each of thecorresponding geographic subsectors may include a one or more buildingscorresponding to one or more building types (e.g., small officebuilding, medium office building, hospital, shopping mall, airport,school, etc.). A first portion of the one or more buildingscorresponding to the one or more building types may be configured suchthat their energy consumption is available via a corresponding subsectorstreaming consumption source 902.1-902.N in real time or near real timeat intervals consistent with those discussed above for determining andemploying, for each of the first portion of the one or more buildingscorresponding to the one or more building types, occupancy componentsthat include an occupancy level component for the day γ_(i), anormalized occupancy profile ƒ(h), and a marginal energy component D(T).The noted occupancy components may be determined and optionally iteratedby an occupancy determination element (not shown) disposed within a NOC,as is discussed above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, and the occupancycomponents provided to a corresponding subsector occupancy stores901.1-901.N for retrieval by a corresponding subsector market controlcenter 910.1-910.N. The NOC may be disposed at a separate location,within one of the subsector market control centers 910.1-910.N or at theregional market control center 930.

Each of the subsector occupancy aggregators 911 may access acorresponding subsector occupancy stores 901.1-901.N to obtain occupancycomponents corresponding to the first portion of the one or morebuildings corresponding to the one or more building types. In addition,each of the subsector occupancy aggregators 911 may access acorresponding subsector streaming consumption source 902.1-902.N and acorresponding subsector streaming weather source 903.1-903.N to obtainenergy consumption data and outside temperature data, respectively,corresponding to the first portion of the one or more buildingscorresponding to the one or more building types. Each of the subsectoroccupancy aggregators 911 may process the occupancy components, energyconsumption data, outside temperature data, and optional calendar data(e.g., day of the week, holidays, etc.) to determine average occupancycomponents corresponding to each of the building types by averaging allof the occupancy level components for the day γ_(i), normalizedoccupancy profiles ƒ(h), and a marginal energy components D(T) for eachspecific building type within the first portion of the one or morebuildings, and will transmit the average occupancy components to theother facility occupancy estimator 912 over buses G.1-G.N. Each of thesubsector occupancy aggregators 911 may furthermore determine aggregatedoccupancy components for all of the one or more buildings within thefirst portion by weighted averaging according to relative occupancy ofeach of the building types, and the each of the subsector occupancyaggregators 911 may provide their respective first aggregated occupancycomponent to a corresponding subsector market control processor 913 viabus GAGGR1.

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, not all buildings within ageographic subsector provide for streaming energy consumption data, butthey are, however, subject to varying occupancy levels throughout theday. Accordingly, the other facility occupancy estimator 912 isconfigured to estimate the second aggregated occupancy component for asecond portion of the one or more buildings within the geographicsubsector which are not part of the first portion noted above. The otherfacility occupancy estimator 912 determines the second aggregatedoccupancy component for the remaining buildings within the geographicsubsector by matching the average occupancy components provided overbuses G.1-G.N to the remaining buildings according to building type, andby performing weighted averaging according to relative occupancy of eachof the building types as is discussed above. The other facilityoccupancy estimator 912 may provide a respective second aggregatedoccupancy component to a corresponding subsector market controlprocessor 913 via bus GAGGR2.

The other facility occupancy estimator 912 may further be configured todetermine occupancy components for a third portion of the one or morebuildings within the geographic subsector which are not part of thefirst or second portions discussed above, but whose occupancy componentsare determined by correlating occupancy components of selected buildingtypes within the first and second portions with corresponding buildingtypes within the third portion. For example, shopping mall occupancylevels are known to increase when schools are not in session. Similarly,hotel occupancy levels are known to increase when conventions are held.By determining occupancy levels of schools according to the presentinvention, occupancy levels of shopping malls within the geographicsector can be determined with a high degree of accuracy. Likewise, bydetermining occupancy levels of convention centers according to thepresent invention, occupancy levels of hotels within the geographicsector can be determined with a high degree of accuracy.

Each of the corresponding subsector market control processors 913 mayemploy their respective first and second aggregated occupancy componentsto determine an estimate of occupancy within each of the buildings intheir respective geographic subsectors throughout the day, where theestimate of occupancy is determined exclusively by processing, asdisclosed above, energy consumption and outside temperature data, or inthe case where sufficient training data has been processed, exclusivelyby processing, as disclosed above, energy consumption data. Eachsubsector market control processor 913, in accordance with configurationdata provided by the regional market control center 930, may modifydefault timing of market control devices to optimize presentation oftargeted advertising to the flow of pedestrian and automotive vehicleswithin its respective geographic subsector. Each subsector marketcontrol processor 913, in accordance with configuration data provided bythe regional market control center 930, may modify default timing andstates of signage to optimize targeted advertising to the flow ofpedestrian and automotive vehicles within its respective geographicsubsector.

The subsector market control centers 910.1-910.N may be furtherconfigured to identify particular buildings within the first, second,and third portions for targeted messages, directed over the MCN, andexecuted by some of the subsector market control devices 920.1-920.N,that are directed towards increasing traffic flow, and thereby profit,for the particular buildings. For example, restaurants in the vicinityof a convention may well benefit from modifying their operating hoursand signage to comport with occupancy levels of a convention center,stadium, and the like.

The regional market control center 930 may include a global controller931 that provides configuration data to each of the subsector marketcontrol centers 910.1-910.N and that furthermore may provide controlsignals to prioritize or override commands to the subsector marketcontrol devices 920.1-920.N over the MCN.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a block diagram showing a system 1000according to the present invention for occupancy based energy managementof multiple facilities. The system 1000 includes an energy managementcontrol center 1010 that is coupled to streaming consumption sources1001 and streaming weather sources 1002 corresponding to facilities1021-102N whose energy consumption are to be managed, and which arecoupled to the energy management control center 1010 via a buildingcontrol bus BCON. A first portion of the facilities 1021-102N mayinclude an occupancy based energy consumption management system as isdisclosed above with reference to FIG. 4, or an energy management systememploying estimated resource utilization as is disclosed above withreference to FIG. 6. Each of a second portion of the facilities1021-102N may be similar to a corresponding one of the first portion offacilities 1021-102N in terms of building type (e.g., school, shoppingmall, theater, etc.), and the some of the second portion of facilities1021-102N may include a building automation system that does not performoccupancy determination as discussed herein. The energy managementcontrol center 1010 may also be configured to perform functionscorresponding to a NOC as disclosed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. Theenergy management control center 1010 may include an occupancy estimator1011 that is coupled to occupancy stores 1012 and to a multiple facilitycontroller 1013 via a bus GAMMA.

The energy management control center 1010 may comprise hardware, or acombination of hardware and software, configured to perform thefunctions described hereinbelow. In one embodiment, the energymanagement control centers 1010 may comprise a microprocessor or othersuitable central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) coupled to atransitory random access memory (not shown) and/or a non-transitoryread-only memory (not shown) within which application programs (i.e.,software) are disposed that, when executed by the microprocessor/CPU,perform the functions described hereinbelow. The occupancy stores 1012may be disposed as conventional transitory or non-transitory datastorage mechanisms and the buses GAMMA, BCON may comprise conventionalwired or wireless technology buses for transmission and reception ofdata including, but not limited to, direct wired (e.g., SATA), cellular,BLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the internet. The streaming sources1001-1002 may comprise conventional wired or wireless technology busesas noted above for transmission and reception of data.

In operation, streaming energy consumption data and outside temperaturedata corresponding to the first portion of the facilities 1021-102N areobtained by the energy management control center 1010 and are providedto the occupancy estimator 1011. Occupancy components that include anoccupancy level component for the day γ_(i), a normalized occupancyprofile ƒ(h), and a marginal energy component D(T) for each of thefacilities 1021-102N, which are derived as disclosed above fromcorresponding training data sets, are also obtained from the occupancystores 1012. Based on the energy consumption and outside temperaturedata obtained, the occupancy estimator 1011 determines occupancy levelsfor the first portion of the facilities 1021-102N, and provides theseoccupancy levels periodically to the multiple facility controller 1013.The occupancy estimator 1011 is further configured to assign anoccupancy level for the each of the second portion of facilities1021-102N, where the occupancy level is that of the corresponding one ofthe first portion of facilities 1021-102N in terms of building type.

The multiple facility controller 1013 may be configured to optimizeexecution of a demand response program event for all of the facilities1021-102N, or configured to optimize time of use energy consumption forall of the facilities 1021-102N, or may be configured to optimize energyconsumption of all of the facilities 1021-102N according to an energyefficiency incentive. Accordingly, the multiple facility controller 1013may transmit energy reduction control messages to one or more of thefacilities 1021-102N over the BCN that cause the one or more of thefacilities 1021-102N to reduce energy consumption by a prescribed amountfor a prescribed period of time to achieve objectives of the programevent, time of use energy consumption, or energy efficiency incentive.The multiple facility controller 1013 may select the one or more of thefacilities 1021-102N based on a global energy use model for all of thefacilities 1021-102N that is determined in part by occupancy levelsthroughout the day of the facilities 1021-102N, where the occupancylevels are determined solely from outside temperature data and energyconsumption obtained from the streaming sources 1001-1002. Forfacilities 1021-102N having well established occupancy components, suchas an elementary school, only energy consumption data is necessary forthe occupancy estimator 1011 to determine occupancy levels throughoutthe day.

Now referring to FIG. 11, a block diagram 1100 detailing a mechanismaccording to the present invention for prioritizing demand responseprogram events. The diagram 1100 shows a network operations center (NOC)1110 that is coupled to streaming consumption sources 1101 and streamingweather sources 1102 corresponding to facilities 1121-112N that may beparticipating in a demand response program, and which are coupled to theNOC 1110 via a dispatch bus DISP.

A first portion of the facilities 1021-102N may include a mechanism (notshown) that allows for transmission of energy consumption data over thestreaming consumption sources 1101 to the NOC 1110 in real time or nearreal time. Each of a second portion of the facilities 1021-102N may besimilar to a corresponding one of the first portion of facilities1021-102N in terms of building type (e.g., school, shopping mall,theater, etc.). The NOC 1110 may include an occupancy estimator 1111that is coupled to occupancy stores 1112 and to a dispatch controller1113 via a bus GAMMAO. The NOC 1110 may also include a utilizationestimator 1114 that is coupled to utilization stores 1112 and to thedispatch controller 1113 via a bus GAMMAR.

The NOC 1110 may comprise hardware, or a combination of hardware andsoftware, configured to perform the functions described hereinbelow. Inone embodiment, the NOC 1110 may comprise a microprocessor or othersuitable central processing unit (CPU) (not shown) coupled to atransitory random access memory (not shown) and/or a non-transitoryread-only memory (not shown) within which application programs (i.e.,software) are disposed that, when executed by the microprocessor/CPU,perform the functions described hereinbelow. The occupancy stores 1012may be disposed as conventional transitory or non-transitory datastorage mechanisms and the buses GAMMAO, GAMMAR, DISP may compriseconventional wired or wireless technology buses for transmission andreception of data including, but not limited to, direct wired (e.g.,SATA), cellular, BLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the internet. Thestreaming sources 1101-1102 may comprise conventional wired or wirelesstechnology buses as noted above for transmission and reception of data.

In operation, streaming energy consumption data and outside temperaturedata corresponding to the first portion of the facilities 1021-102N areobtained by the NOC 1110 and are provided to the occupancy estimator1011 or utilization estimator 1114 according to facility type as hasbeen described in detail above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 7. Foroccupancy based building types, occupancy components that include anoccupancy level component for the day γ_(i), a normalized occupancyprofile ƒ(h), and a marginal energy component D(T) for each of thefacilities 1121-112N, which are derived as disclosed above fromcorresponding training data sets, are also obtained from the occupancystores 1112. For utilization based building types, occupancy componentsthat include an occupancy level component for the day γ_(i), anormalized occupancy profile ƒ(h), and a marginal energy component D(T)for each of the facilities 1121-112N, which are derived as disclosedabove from corresponding training data sets, are also obtained from theutilization stores 1115. Based on the energy consumption and outsidetemperature data obtained, the occupancy estimator 1111 determinesoccupancy/utilization levels for the first portion of the facilities1121-112N, and provides these occupancy/utilization levels periodicallyto the dispatch controller 1113. The occupancy estimator 1111 andutilization estimator 1114 are further configured to assign an occupancylevel or utilization level, as appropriate, for each of the secondportion of facilities 1121-112N, where the occupancy level orutilization level, as appropriate, is that of the corresponding one ofthe first portion of facilities 1121-112N in terms of building type.

The dispatch controller 1113 may be configured to optimize execution ofa demand response program event by prioritizing program event dispatchmessages to the facilities 1121-112N. Accordingly, the dispatchcontroller 1113 may transmit program event dispatch messages to one ormore of the facilities 1021-102N over the BCN that cause the one or moreof the facilities 1121-112N to reduce energy consumption by a prescribedamount for a prescribed period of time to achieve objectives of theprogram event. The dispatch controller 1113 may select the one or moreof the facilities 1121-112N based on a global energy use model for allof the facilities 1121-112N that is determined in part byoccupancy/utilization levels throughout the day of the facilities1121-112N, where the occupancy levels are determined solely from outsidetemperature data and energy consumption obtained from the streamingsources 1121-112N. For facilities 1121-112N having well establishedoccupancy components, such as an elementary school, only energyconsumption data is necessary for the occupancy estimator 1111 orutilization estimator 1114, as appropriate, to determineoccupancy/utilization levels throughout the day. In one embodiment, thedispatch controller 1113 will select the one or more of the facilities1121-112N because each of their respective energy use profilessignificantly varies from an average of the each of their respectiveenergy use profiles, where all of the one or more of the facilities1121-112N are of the same building type (e.g., a grocery store, anaggregate plant, or a steel mill). In one embodiment, the dispatchcontroller 1113 selects the one or more of the facilities 1121-112Nbecause each of their respective energy use profiles varies more than 20percent from an average of their energy use profiles.

Portions of the present invention and corresponding detailed descriptionare presented in terms of software, or algorithms and symbolicrepresentations of operations on data bits within a computer memory.These descriptions and representations are the ones by which those ofordinary skill in the art effectively convey the substance of their workto others of ordinary skill in the art. An algorithm, as the term isused here, and as it is used generally, is conceived to be aself-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The stepsare those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities.Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form ofoptical, electrical, or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It hasproven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, torefer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters,terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise, or as is apparent from the discussion,terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or“determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action andprocesses of a computer system, a microprocessor, a central processingunit, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates andtransforms data represented as physical, electronic quantities withinthe computer system's registers and memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer system memoriesor registers or other such information storage, transmission or displaydevices.

Note also that the software implemented aspects of the invention aretypically encoded on some form of program storage medium or implementedover some type of transmission medium. The program storage medium may beelectronic (e.g., read only memory, flash read only memory, electricallyprogrammable read only memory), random access memory magnetic (e.g., afloppy disk or a hard drive) or optical (e.g., a compact disk read onlymemory, or “CD ROM”), and may be read only or random access. Similarly,the transmission medium may be metal traces, twisted wire pairs, coaxialcable, optical fiber, or some other suitable transmission medium knownto the art. The invention is not limited by these aspects of any givenimplementation.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, andthose skilled in the art will appreciate that they can readily use thedisclosed conception and specific embodiments as a basis for designingor modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of thepresent invention, and that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the scope of theinvention as set forth by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for controlling consumption of anenergy resource by a facility, the apparatus comprising: a plurality ofdevices, disposed within the facility, each consuming a portion of theenergy resource when turned on, and said each capable of performing acorresponding function to maintain a desired level of performance bycycling on and off; a network operations center (NOC), disposed externalto the facility, configured to generate a plurality of run timeschedules, wherein said plurality of run time schedules coordinates runtimes for said each of said plurality of devices to control theconsumption of the energy resource while maintaining corresponding localenvironments and said desired level of performance, and configured toadjust said plurality of run time schedules based upon resourceutilization components and resource utilization levels generated by saidNOC, wherein said resource utilization components and said resourceutilization levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption ofthe energy resource and outside temperature; and a plurality of controlnodes, disposed within the facility, each coupled to a corresponding oneof said plurality of devices, wherein said plurality of control nodes iscoupled together via an energy management network that is operativelycoupled to said NOC, and wherein said plurality of control nodestransmits sensor data and device status to said NOC via said energymanagement network for generation of said plurality of run timeschedules, and wherein said plurality of control nodes executes selectedones of said run time schedules to cycle said plurality of devices onand off.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said NOCgenerates said resource utilization components for the facility byprocessing a first data set comprising energy consumption and outsidetemperature data for the facility, said energy consumption and outsidetemperature data taken at a prescribed time increment over a firstplurality of days, and generates a normalized first data set byemploying said resource utilization components to remove effects ofresource utilization of the facility from said first data set, saidresource utilization components comprising: a lower bound of energyconsumption as a function of outside temperature; a normalized resourceutilization profile component as a function of said prescribed timeincrement; a marginal energy consumption component as a function ofoutside temperature; and a daily resource utilization level componentfor each of said first plurality of days.
 3. The apparatus as recited inclaim 2, wherein said NOC generates said resource utilization levels forthe facility by employing said resource utilization components toprocess the consumption of the energy resource.
 4. The apparatus asrecited in claim 1, wherein said prescribed time increment comprises onehour.
 5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said prescribedtime increment comprises five minutes.
 6. The apparatus as recited inclaim 1, where said first plurality of days comprises 365 days.
 7. Theapparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said NOC progressively revisessaid resource utilization components by additionally processing theconsumption of the energy resource.
 8. An apparatus for controllingconsumption of an energy resource by a facility, the apparatuscomprising: a plurality of devices, disposed within the facility, eachconsuming a portion of the energy resource when turned on, and said eachcapable of performing a corresponding function to maintain a desiredlevel of performance by cycling on and off; a network operations center(NOC), disposed external to the facility, configured to generate aplurality of run time schedules, wherein said plurality of run timeschedules coordinates run times for said each of said plurality ofdevices to control the consumption of the energy resource whilemaintaining corresponding local environments and said desired level ofperformance, and configured to adjust said plurality of run timeschedules based upon resource utilization components and resourceutilization levels generated by said NOC, wherein said resourceutilization components and said resource utilization levels areexclusively generated based on the consumption of the energy resourceand outside temperature; a plurality of control nodes, disposed withinthe facility, each coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality ofdevices, wherein said plurality of control nodes is coupled together viaan energy management network that is operatively coupled to said NOC,and wherein said plurality of control nodes transmits sensor data anddevice status to said NOC via said energy management network forgeneration of said plurality of run time schedules, and wherein saidplurality of control nodes executes selected ones of said run timeschedules to cycle said plurality of devices on and off; and one or moresensor nodes, coupled to said energy management network, configured toprovide one or more global sensor data sets to said NOC, wherein saidNOC employs said one or more global sensor data sets in determining saidrun times.
 9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said NOCgenerates said resource utilization components for the facility byprocessing a first data set comprising energy consumption and outsidetemperature data for the facility, said energy consumption and outsidetemperature data taken at a prescribed time increment over a firstplurality of days, and generates a normalized first data set byemploying said resource utilization components to remove effects ofresource utilization of the facility from said first data set, saidresource utilization components comprising: a lower bound of energyconsumption as a function of outside temperature; a normalized resourceutilization profile component as a function of said prescribed timeincrement; a marginal energy consumption component as a function ofoutside temperature; and a daily resource utilization level componentfor each of said first plurality of days.
 10. The apparatus as recitedin claim 9, wherein said NOC generates said resource utilization levelsfor the facility by employing said resource utilization components toprocess the consumption of the energy resource.
 11. The apparatus asrecited in claim 8, wherein said prescribed time increment comprises onehour.
 12. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said prescribedtime increment comprises five minutes.
 13. The apparatus as recited inclaim 8, where said first plurality of days comprises 365 days.
 14. Theapparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said NOC progressively revisessaid resource utilization components by additionally processing theconsumption of the energy resource.
 15. A method for controllingconsumption of an energy resource by a facility, comprising: via anetwork operations center (NOC) external to the facility, generating aplurality of run time schedules, wherein the plurality of run timeschedules coordinates run times for each of a plurality of devices tocontrol the consumption of the energy resource while maintainingcorresponding local environments and a desired level of performance, andadjusting the plurality of run time schedules based upon resourceutilization components and resource utilization levels generated by theNOC, wherein the resource utilization components and the resourceutilization levels are exclusively generated based on the consumption ofthe energy resource and outside temperature; controlling the each of theplurality of devices via corresponding control nodes, wherein the eachof the plurality of devices consumes a portion of the energy resourcewhen turned on, and wherein the each of the plurality of devices iscapable of performing a corresponding function to maintain said desiredlevel of performance; and coupling the corresponding control nodestogether via an energy management network that is operatively coupled tothe NOC, and employing the energy management network to transmit sensordata and device status to the NOC for generation of the plurality of runtime schedules.
 16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the NOCgenerates the resource utilization components for the facility byprocessing a first data set comprising energy consumption and outsidetemperature data for the facility, the energy consumption and outsidetemperature data taken at a prescribed time increment over a firstplurality of days, and generates a normalized first data set byemploying the resource utilization components to remove effects ofresource utilization of the facility from the first data set, theresource utilization components comprising: a lower bound of energyconsumption as a function of outside temperature; a normalized resourceutilization profile component as a function of the prescribed timeincrement; a marginal energy consumption component as a function ofoutside temperature; and a daily resource utilization level componentfor each of the first plurality of days.
 17. The method as recited inclaim 16, wherein the NOC generates the resource utilization levels forthe facility by employing the resource utilization components to processthe consumption of the energy resource.
 18. The method as recited inclaim 15, wherein the prescribed time increment comprises one hour. 19.The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the prescribed time incrementcomprises five minutes.
 20. The method as recited in claim 15, where thefirst plurality of days comprises 365 days.
 21. The method as recited inclaim 15, wherein the resource utilization components are progressivelyrevised by additionally the consumption of the energy resource.